LIBRARY 

OK  THR 

University  of  California. 

OIKT  OF" 

Received  ,  igo     . 

Accessiou  No.     ,   827Q^ .    Class  No. 


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THE  AUTHOR  AND  WIFE. 


Scenes  of  earlier  Day$ 


Crossing  tbe  Plains  to  Oregon, 


and 


experiences  Of  aiestern  Cite 

by  e.  I).  Craivford. 


J.  T.  STUDDERT, 

BOOK  AND  JOB  POINTER, 

PETALUMA.  CAL. 


^  PREFACE. 


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HOSE  who  did  not  cross  the  plains,  either  to  Ore- 
gon or  California,  in  an  early  day  have  but  little 
knowledge  of  the  hardships  endured  by  the  way,  or 
after  their  arrival  at  their  future  homes.  I  have 
frequently  conversed  with  those  who  went  to  Oregon 
from  1843  to  1845  and  '46  and  after  their  arrival  had  to 
live  on  acorns  for  six  weeks  without  meat.  There  were 
no  cattle  at  the  time  in  the  country  fit  for  beef,  and 
game  was  very  scarce,  and  even  if  it  had  been  plenty 
hunting  it  on  an  acorn  breakfast  would  have  been  very 
hard  work 

Even  after  our  arrival  in  Oregon  at  a  later  date,  1851, 
provisions  were  verj'  scarce.  The  winter  of  1852-53  for 
more  than  a  month  there  was  no  flour  to  be  had  and  no 
meat  and  we  paid  $8.50  for  fifty  pounds  of  very  poor 
shorts  and  glad  to  get  it  at  that  price.  In  the  spring  a 
cargo  of  Chile  flour  came  in  and  whf^n  we  bought  it  we 
had  to  sieve  out  the  long  woolly  worms  and  eat  it  or 
starve.  In  talking  with  friends  about  the  scenes  of 
earlier  days  and  experiences  of  western  life  I  have  been 
frequently  asked  why  do  you  not  write  them  out  and 
have  them  published  in  book  form.  My  reply  has  been 
it  always  looked  egotistical  for  a  man  to  publish  his  own 
autobiography  The  reply  was  this  is  not  your  autobio- 
graphy, but  actual  history  that  helps  to  tell  about  the 
settlement  of  the  great  west,  a  subject  in  which  old  and 
young  are,  or  should  be,  deeply  interested.  Setting  all 
objections  aside  I  submit  in  the  following  pages  an  ac- 
count of  our  trip  across  the  plains  together  with  a   few 


of  our  varied  experiences  of  western  life  in  the  hope 
that  it  will  do  at  least  »;  sm.ill  amount  of  good  in  better- 
ing the  great  state  in  which  we  live. 

The  scenes  related  in  this  book  are  true  for  I  was  an 
eye  witness  to  most  of  them.  Many  of  them  were  of  a 
nature  to  stir  up  the  soul  with  inten^ije  excitement. 
I  shall  be  glad  to  know  that  the  young  people  wiio  read 
these  truthful  narratives  have  been  benefitted  by  them. 
Those  who  love  truth  more  than  fiction  will  not  object 
to  these  sketcnes. 

C.  H.  CUAWFORI), 
PErALUMA,  Cal.,  1898. 


82707 


CONTENTS. 


('(.tiipaiiv  .iruini/fil  ami  Captain  elected 

Frej)ariny:  to  tight 

•  attlo  won  .  .  -  , 

C'<  "1  ill-  (loiH   with  buffalo  chips 

A  -toiiiiv    iii'jlit  -  -  - 

1  inliaiis    K  adv  fitr  war 

First  jiic'k  rabbit 

First  buffalo 

rhirunov  Ho<'k 

l.'miis  of  aiiri«  lit  luiiMing 

Viewing  I  ^evil's  Canyon 

A  large  hill  of  lead 

Horses  badly  fri^ditened 

How  Bear  ji\t  r  l>ottom  looked 

Soap  «•!♦ «  k  ml  a  large  stream  of  water 

Soda  >j.:iii-.s  -  -  - 

Three  horses  stolen 

Nez  Perce  chief  and  his  family 

Use  of  the  rocky  part  of  the  world 

A  cowardly  guard,  and  a  horse  stolen 

A  man  sln-t  and  .lan-.j(.nslv  WOUnded 

An    Indian    kdl.,!  -       '        - 

A   t  iiin  all   klllrd   but   tu..    l)oy8 

A  li"i-»    -t"|»M  but  i|iiirkly  recovprod 

\i.»l:iln,L'  a  rontiacl  and  th<    rtsidt 

(i(»in;^'  <>\fr  liie  Cax-adr   ni(»untainH 

JJcmI^.  backbone  and  Lauici  hill 

(ilad  t(»  be  in  the  VVillaniette  valley 

The  hiin;^ry  fed  .  -  - 

The  man  with  two  wives 

Entering  politics  -  -  . 

]j-,i\)u<j  ])olitics  and  j/nin-  ])r«acliiiig 

An  nrpliaii  boy  badly  u.scd 

L(  a\inL;  Oregon 

liuildin;^^  a  church  in  Stockton 

Going  into  a  saloon  and  inviting  them  t- 


rjiurcii 


3 
5 
6 
9 
10 
13 
14 
15 
17 
18 
19 
22 
23 
25 
26 
27 
30 
31 
32 
34 
38 
46 
48 
50 
51 
57 
59 
63 
64 
66 
69 
70 
72 
73 
76 
78 


A  camp  meeting  near  Stockton          -  -          -           81 

Result  of  singing  songs  in  a  barroom  -           -          83 

Appointed  college  agent          -          -  -           -          \H) 

Infidel  lawyer  converted           -           -  -           -         94 

Starting  for  Powder  river  mines          -  -         95 

A  Parson  caught  in  his  own  trap         -  -         -         90 

The  frightened  Irishman              -             -  -             99 

Men  alarmed  and  preparing  to  fight  -           -         1  01 

A  man  greatly  alarmed             .             _  _              102 

Three  men  poisoned         .         _         -  -           _          105 

Parson  asked  to  drink         -         -         -  -         -         110 

A  man  instantly  killed         -         -         -  -         -        114 

Attending  politicial  meetings         -         -  -         -       115 

Answering  a  fool  according  to  his  folly  -         -       119 

Two  men  murdered         _         .         _  _          _          i^'I 

Mob  violence         -         -         -         -         -  -         -      1'25 

History  of  Mr.  Miller          -          -  -          -          12G 

Leaving  the  mines         -         -          -  -             -         1»J7 

Water  spout              -              -              -  -              139 

A  beautiful  scene  near  Petaluma             -  -           141 

Tw^o  men  reconciled             -                -  -               145 

A  remarkable  conversion             .             -  -           147 

The  story  of  a  pioneer             _             .  _               141) 

Conditions  of  help                -               -  -             151 

Swearing  by  his  father             -               -  -             153 

The  agent  thrashed              _             _  _                 155 

Invited  to  have  a  dram                 -             -  -           1 58 
Camping  in  the  wild  woods  of  Mendocino  county        161 

Commencing  to  work  at  Tomales             -  -          163 

Answering  a  question                 -             -  -            1B5 

Commencing  to  work  at  Point  Arena  -              1(>6 

A  man  shot  at  Point  Arena             -  -         -           170 

Answering  Rev.  Mr.  Tubs         -         -  -         -          177 

Making  an  infidel  mad             -             -  181 

A  missionary  trip  to  the  Sierra  Nevadas  -            182 

How  one  parson  helped  another         -  -          -         183 

Conclusion               -               -               -  -              18(5 


Scenes  of  Early  Days 

'T.       '  \ 

SITY 
^CALlFQS!^ 
THE     START     MADE. 


CHAPTER  I. 

Our  minds  are  so  formed  that  we  love  to  linger  around 
the  scenes  of  the  past  and  think  of  what  transpired  in 
years  gone  by.  How  often  have  we  been  charmed  with 
the  company  of  the  aged  ones  as  they  related  to  us  the 
things  that  transpired  when  they  were  young.  The 
struggle  thpy  had,  the  difficulties  they  overcame  and  their 
final  triumph  at  the  last  when  they  proved  conquerors. 
Many  a  youth  in  our  land  has  felt  a  noble  thrill  in  his 
soul  when  grandma  or  grandpa  has  talked  about  frontier 
life  in  the  wilderness,  and  told  their  experiencee  with 
bears,   wolves   and   wild    Indians.      Not  onlv   do  old 


SCENES     OF     EARLIER     DAYS. 


people  have  their  attractions,  but  also  old  buildings, 
that  have  lon<^  been  erected  and  have  stood  the  storms 
of  many  years. 

I  have  visited  Fort  Ross  in  the  western  portion  of  So- 
noma county,  California,  and  on  the  border  of  the 
Pacific  ocean,  and  looked  with  deep  interest  on  the  walls 
now  tumbling  into  ruins  and  thought  of  the  struggles 
through  which  the  Russians  must  have  passed  when 
they  were  built,  surrounded  as  they  were  with  wild 
beasts  and  wilder  savages.  Their  struggles  were  but 
little  if  any  greater  than  those  who  settled  our  western 
frontier,  going  forth  with  their  loaded  muskets  in  one 
hand  and  the  torch  of  liberty  in  the  other.  Those  who 
are  now  being  whirled  across  the  continent  with  the  on- 
ward rush  of  the  railroad  coach,  often  wonder  how  the 
emigrants  of  earlier  days  ever  made  their  way  to  the 
Pacific  coast,  in  the  midst  of  savages,  mosquitoes,  black 
o-nats  and  alkali  dust  I  never  felt  anv  alarm  about  our 
western  travel  until  I  made  the  trip  some  years  after  the 
railroad  was  completed,  and  saw  the  old  emigrant  road 
as  it  came  in  sight  occasionally.  Then  it  was  the  past 
loomed  up  and  I  thought  it  was  a  very  risky  business  to 
take  a  family  (for  their  were  four  of  us)  and  start  out 
on  a  western  trip  of  more  than  two  thousand  miles,  and 
depend  on  four  horses  and  a  wagon  to  bring  us  to  our 
"desired  heaven,"  with  nothing  for  feed  for  our  animals 
save  the  grass  we  migt  find  by  the  way.  Then  add  to 
this  that  we  had  to  travel  outside  of  civilization  on  a 
road  not  improved,  and  cross  swollen  streams  as  best  we 
could,  and  not  see  a  house  from  the  Missouri  river  to 
Oregon,  save  at  the  forts,  and  you  will  not  wonder  that 


SCENES     OF     EARUER     DAYS. 


it  made  me  almost  shudder  as  my  thoughts  surveyed  the 
jirtst. 

It  was  April  10,  1851,  when  a  small  company  left  the 
western  portion  of  Illinois,  to  make  the  tiip  across  the 
western  wiJds  to  Oregon.  As  the  corupanj'  formed  and 
moved  away  from  their  old  homes,  an  qld  gentleman 
who  was  traveling  with  us  remarked:  ''XYestward  the 
star  of  empire  wends  its  way."  We  crossed  the  Mississ- 
ippi at.  the  town  (now  the  city  of  BurHngton)and  made 
our  way  across  Iowa,  the  western  portion  then  being 
very  thinly  settled  We  halted  for  several  d.iys  at  a 
place  now  known  as  Coun<!il  Bluffs,  then  Council  Bluffs 
was  two  or  three  miles  farther  up  the  Missouri  river. 
The  reason  we  tarried  here  was  to  let  the  grass  grow,  so 
that  it  w;ould  have  more  tjtrength  for  our  horses.  The 
emigrants  .kept  on  coming  until  thousands  were  en- 
camped on  the  borders  of  the  river.  As  we  were  travel- 
ing with  horses,  without  any  cattle,  we  were  desirous  of 
funning  a  good  con^pany  in  numbers  so  as  to  pass  in 
^(affty  through  the  Pawnee  country,  as  they  were  said  to 
be  Hom.^what  troublesome.  By  hunting  among  the  v  ir- 
ious  camps  of  emigrants  we  soon  found  enough  with 
horses  to  make  a  company  of  one  hundred  and  twenty 
men,  well  armed,  besides  women  and  children.  A  day 
was  set  when  we  were  to  meet  and  organize  and  deter- 
mine when  we  were  to  cross  the  nuiddy  Missoun.  The 
day  arrived,  and  an  organization  was  affected  by  the 
election  of  a  Mr.  Hadley  as  our  captain,  as  he  had 
crossed  the  plains  in  184J>  in  search  of  California  gold. 


sc^^•Es   OF    earlifr   days. 


CHAPTER  II, 

The  d.iy  selected  for  the  forward  journey  was  a 
delightful  one  and  the  6th  day  of  May  found  us,  with- 
out a  single  accident,  on  the  west  side  of  the  great  river 
where  the  l^eautiful  city  of  Omaha  now  stands  Then 
there  were  no  signs  of  civilization  not  even  a  log  oabin 
had  been  reared.  Out  west  of  this  a  few  miles  there 
were  the  remnants  of  a  few  cabins  to  be  seen,  where  some 
Mormons  on  thiii  way  to  Salt  Lake  had  wintered  a  few 
years  before.  We  found  our  first  camping  place  on  the 
Elk  JHorn  and  after  we  had  found  our  camp  a  few 
Indiana  came  to  us.  They  were  hard-featured  human 
beings  and  looked  wicked  enough  for  any  mischief. 
They  were  clad  in  buffalo  robes  and  by  moving  them  up 
and  down  they  made  a  horrid  rattling  noise,  which 
greatly  frightened  our  teams  and  they  started  to  run, 
for  prior  to  this  they  had  been  unhitched  and  were  eating 
grass.  Those  who  saw  this  movement  on  the  part  of 
the  Indians  and  the  stampede  of  the  horses,  succeeded 
in  turning  all  back  except  three  of  mine  and  they  ran 
at  full  speed  out  on  to  the  plains,  ^'ome  of  those  who 
were  fortunate  enough  to  keep  their  horses  from  run- 
ning, mounted  them  and  after  a  chase  of  several  miles 
all  were  brought  back  safely.  The  Indians  were  notified 
that  if  they  scared  the  horses  again  they  would  be  pun- 
ished severely  for  it.  They  remained  very  quiet  during 
the  night,  camping  not  far  from  us. 

The  next  morning  we  journeyed  on  until  we  found  a 
stream  called  Loup  Fork  which  was  so  greatly  swollen 
that  the  ferryman  told  us  we  would  have  to  wait  several 
days  before  crossing.     We  paid  him  $5  so  as  to  secure 


SCENES    OF     EARUER     DAYS.  5 

our  re;;ular  time  of  crossing.  We  Dioved  up  the  river 
\\  li( !«'  there  was  better  j^^rass,  and  the  ferryman  prom- 
ised he  would  let  us  know  whtii  it  was  safe  to  cross. 
One  day  while  waiting  for  th<  watti-s  to  fall  we  saw 
another  train  drive  up  and  commence  crossing.  We 
harnessed  our  teams  as  quickly  as  possible,  and  moved 
<lown  to  the  ferry  and  demanded  our  time  us  promised. 
The  feriy-man  said,  * 'gentlemen,  you  must  settle  your 
own  troubles,  as  the  last  train  to  arrive  has  paid  me  ten 
dollars  to  cross  it  first."  A  man  at  least  six  feet  tall 
stepped  forth  from  the  last  train  and  said  "he  would 
fight  any  man  in  our  train,  and  let  that  decide  the 
matter."  An  Knglishman  in  our  company  of  snuill 
statue,  but  who  proved  to  be  a  scientific  boxer,  ^aid  *sir, 
1  am  your  man."  The  captain  said,  "fonn  a  ring,  uentle- 
men  and  let  them  fight."  Tlie  ring  was  soon  formed, 
while  the  women  and  children  remained  in  the  wagons 
as  witnesses  of  the  scene,  but  by  no  means  as  disinter- 
ested spectators,  for  all  were  anxious  to  push  foward  as 
soon  as  possible. 


CHVPTEU  III. 

The  two  combatants  having  placed  themselves  in  the 
proper  position,  the  captain  of  each  company  called  to 
his  man  **are  you  ready :^  I  luy  both  declared  tlu  v 
were,  the  word  was  given  and  the  tall  man  made  for  tlie 
Englishman,  swinging  both  of  his  arms  wildly  in  the 
air.  In  the  meantime  the  Englishman  scarcely  moved 
from  his  position,  but  as  his  man  came  up  he    watched 


6  BCENES     OF     EARLIER     DAYS. 


Ills  opportunity  and  placed  a  blow  on  his  cbest  which 
knocked  him  down,  without  himself  receiving  a  scratch. 
The  Englishman  stood  back  and  waited  for  his  man  to 
get  up.  After  awhile  he  rolled  his  eyes  up  as  if  plead- 
ing for  help,  at  the  same  time  saying  he  was  not  whijjped 
•yet.  "Get  up  then,"  said  the  Kiiglisliman,  "I  will  give 
you  all  you  want."  With  the  assistance  of  some  of  his 
comrades  he  got  up  and  steadied  himself  for  a  shoit 
time,  and  then  declared  he  could  and  would  whip  his 
antagonist.  1  He  made  at  him  as  before,  swinging  his 
arms  in  all  directions.  The  Englishman  stood  still  in 
order  to  receive  his  blows,  and  when  he  came  near 
enough  he  landed  a  left-hand  blow  just  below  the  ear, 
and  he  fell  as  suddenly  as  if  stabbed  to  the  heart.  He 
never  struck  the  Englishman  a  single  lick,  and  he  was 
struck  only  twdce,  but  they  were  blows  that  counted. 
AVhen  he  fell  the  second  time  quite  a  number  thought  he 
was  killed,  but  after  awhile  he  showed  some  signs  of 
life,  and  his  comrades  helped  him  up  and  carried  him  to 
his  wagon.  We  learned  afterward  that  he  kept  his  bed 
for  three  weeks  before  he  was  able  to  move  about  at  his 
own  will.  The  only  injury  the  Englishman  sustained 
was  a  badly  sprained  thumb  on  the  left  hand,  caused  by 
the  last  blow  he  struck. 

After  the  fight  was  over,  the  tall  man's  captain  said: 
"Gentlemen  you  have  won  it  fairly,  it  is  your  right  to 
cross  the  Loup  Fork  first."  We  soon  shoved  a  wagon 
on  the  boat,  and  after  a  few  hours  we  all  landed  safely 
on  the  west  side.  I  suppose  this  fight  w^as  on  the  same 
principle,  only  in  a  small  degree,  that  causes  nations  to 
go  to  war  with  each  other.      Trouble  arises  and   one   is 


8C£M£S     or     fcARLILR     1>AVS.  7 

oft'eiided  and  seeks  reveii^( .  1  he  sj^irit  of  retaliation 
is  very  strongly  marked  in  some  individuals  as  well  as 
in  some  nations.  All  hands,  men,  women  and  children 
were  very  much  interested  in  this  tight,  for  all  were 
anxious  to  be  moving  westward.  This  was  a  war 
on  a  small  scale,  while  it  lasted.  Jt  was  a  very 
decisive  battle,  and  one  that  accomplished  its  wmk  and 
left  the  ferry  free  to  us.  Such  scenes  these  days  I  think 
are  frowned  on  l)y  the  better  class  of  society,  but  then 
it  was  thought  to  be  about  right,  as  rhurch  n:embei*s, 
class  leaders  and  a  parson  helped  to  form  the  ring,  and 
iLs  good  as  said:  **Go  in  Iwys  and  do  youi  best,  to  the 
victor  belongs  the  spoils." 

Opinions  on  many  subje<ts  an-  undergoing  as  ^re.it 
changes  these  days,  as  the  (.iintiy  has  througli  wliicli 
we  were  then  passing.  Now  tine  cities,  towns  and 
farms  dot  the  road  ^e  weie  then  traveling,  and  the  fiery 
steed  goes  puffing  along  his  iron  track,  and  the  people 
are  rejoicing  in  plenty,  with  no  fear  of  being  molested 
by  the  Indian  tribes  who  once  inhabited  it,  and  roamed 
over  its  hills  and  valleys,  at  their  own  will  and  pleasure. 
I  am  glad  that  the  great  principles  of  peace  are  taking  a 
tinner  hold  on  the  human  heart  as  well  as  on  nations 
who  before  have  been  blood  thirsty.  When  Nelli*  r>lv 
was  in  Mexico,  a  Spanish  gentleman  said  to  her:  "Your 
humane  societies  would  prevent  bull  fights  in  the 
.States.  Your  i>eople  would  cry  out  against  them.  Yet 
they  have  strong  men  trying  to  pound  one  another 
to  death,  and  the  people  clamor  for  admission  to  see  the 
law  kill  men  and  women,  wliilc  in  health  and  in  youth, 
because  of  some  deed  done  in  tlu  flesh.      Yes,  they  wit- 


SCENES     OF    EARLIER     DAYS. 


ness  and  allow  such  inhuman  treatment  to  a  fellow 
mortal,  and  turn  around  and  affect  holy  horror  at  ns  for 
taking  out  of  the  world  a  few  old  horses  and  fiiniishini^ 
beef  to  the  poor  "  A  point,  I  think,  very  well  taken  by 
the  Spanish  gentleman. 

Forty-seven  years  ago  and  railroads  were  not  very 
plentiful,  much  less  one  to  traverse  the  western  wilds, 
and  cross  hills  and  tall  ranges  of  mountains,  and  find 
its  way  puffing  and  snorting  to  the  great  Pacific.  I  re- 
member very  well  when  plows  had  wooden  mold  boards, 
and  harvesting  was  done  with  reap  hooks,  and  then  with 
cradles.  With  the  vast  and  far  reaching  improvements 
now  in  use,  we  must  naturally  expect  ideas  to  change, 
and  men  become  more  manly  by  leaving  off  their  child- 
ish notions.  But  I  am  wandering  from  my  theme  and 
must  return. 

We  traveled  up  the  north  side  of  Piatt  river,  and  for 
quite  a  distance  our  route  seemed  quite  level.  There 
was  a  new  difficulty  which  was  soon  encountered  by  us, 
for  we  now  had  a  stretch  of  three  hundred  miles  without 
and  wood  with  which  to  make  fires  and  do  our  cooking. 


CHAPTER  IV. 


The  question  of  how  the  cooking  was  to  be  done  was 
to  all  of  us  a  very  important  one,  but  it  was  very  soon 
settled  by  our  captain  telling  us  that  we  had  to  use 
buffalo  chips,  and  that  we  must  camp  where  they  were 
the  most  plentiful.     It  was  amusing  to  see  the  different 


SCENES    OF    EABUEB    DATS. 


expressions  of  countenance  when  this  announcement 
was  made  ladies  who  had  been  reared  in  luxury  and 
were  generally  noted  for  their  good  nature  and  mild 
manners,  fairly  stamped  the  earth  and  almost  gritted 
their  teeth  together,  declaring  they  never  could  and 
never  would  cook  with  it,  that  they  would  rather  retrace 
their  steps  and  live  on  the  east  side  of  the  Missouri 
river,  or  then  eat  their  vituals  raw  and  use  cold  water 
for  coffee.  But  traveling  soon  produces  strong  appe- 
tites, and  hunger  with  its  gnawings  is  not  easily  satisfied 
with  raw  foo<l,  and  it  was  only  a  short  time  until,  when 
the  train  halted  for  either  noon  or  night,  men,  women 
and  children  made  haste  to  the  field  of  chips  and 
gathered  them  for  fuel,  and  even  the  ladies  who  had  said 
so  much,  were  as  eager  to  jio. m.  the  driest  as  any  of 
the  rest.  The  women  soon  learned  to  cook  with  them, 
and  all  hands  became  used  to  such  fuel;  really  the  vit- 
uals seemed  to  ttiste  just  as  good  as  if  cooked  with  wood> 
It  is  an  excellent  thing  we  are  so  formed  tliat  we  can 
r.dapt  ourselves  to  the  surrounding  circumstances.  If 
this  was  not  tiue  there  would  be  but  few  who  would 
ever  see  the  western  wilds,  or  the  immense  west  as  we 
used  to  call  it.  From  start  to  finish,  western  travel  a 
half  century  ago  was  a  kind  of  rough  and  tumble  life, 
with  difhculties  in  abundance,  but  we  soon  learned  to 
sleep  in  tents,  wagons  or  on  the  ground,  and  to  ^at  our 
gruel  cooked  with  buffalo  manure.  And  here  I  will  say 
lest  I  forget  it  further  on,  that  ladies,  and  even  those 
who  never  knew  what  hardships  were  at  home,  can  en- 
dure more  of  them  in  proportion  to  theif  strength  than 
men.     When  men  become  discouraged  and  are  ready  to 


10  SCKNES     OF     EARLIER     DAYS. 

faint  hy  the  ^vay,  their  courage  comes  to  the  rescue  and 
urges  the  men  forward. 

Thtre  is  some  very  beautiful  country  bordering- 
on  the  Phitt^  river,  with  a  htrge  extent  of  good 
'evel  land,  and  as  we  traveled  up  this  beautiful  valley, 
in  the  distance  we  could  see  vast  heids  of  buffalo  feed- 
ing, which  at  times  would  become  alarmed  at  our 
(  overed  wagons  and  scamper  off  out  of  our  sight  to  the 
lolling  hills.  There  are  some  countries  beautiful  to  look 
upon  when  the  sun  shines  biightly,  and  no  angry 
clouds  are  to  be  seen.  So  it  proved  with  the  Platte,  for 
I  remember  one  day,  the  forenoon  had  been  all  that 
heart  could  wish,  wnen  suddenl}'  a  cloud  angiy  in  its 
contour  came  up  and  the  hail  commenced  to  fall.  I  had 
to  get  out  of  the  wagon  with  its  covered  shelter  aiid  hold 
;ny  leaders  by  the  bits  to  keep  them  from  running  awa}-. 
riail  stones  fell  larger'than  "quails  eggs,  by  the  thousand 
and  pelted  my  hands,  untir black  and  blue  for  days. 
How  that  portion  of  our  country  now  i^,  since  it  has 
i)een  crossed  and  recrossed  w'ithradroads  and  towns  and 
cities  have  been  built,  I  do  not  know;  but  then  it  was 
i)y  far  the  worst  country  1  ever  have  been  in  for  storms. 
I  have  passed  through  some  very  hard  storms  in  Illinois, 
but  none  that  would  do  to  compare  with  those  along  the 
Platte. 

One  I  remember  very  vividly.  The  day  had  been 
very  warm  and  at" times  quite  sultry.  We  camped  for 
rhe  night  on  a  small  stream  running  into  the  main  river, 
md  after  our  suppers  were  ate  and  the  guards  placed 
)n  duty  for  the  night,  the  distant  thunders  began  with 
fheir  rumbling  noise,  when  nearer  they  came  with  their 


\i;i,ii.i;     nw 


11 


f(nk(Ml  li'jlit tiiii-s  ])luviti<^    liitlici    and    thitliti.     until    at 
last    .  riasii    l.ickf    l.xisf    tliat     sttiix.l     ti)    shake 

tlic  :'iil    arox'   the   ciitiic    camp.       .\lth()iiL:h 

no  I;.  t  siicli  was   tlic   ])()\v('r  t»t'    tlif   tlcctric 

<Miri«  lit  tiiat  Imriiaii  faro  coil]'  m  plain  outline, 

;,.,.]  -.t   t.M.,..  .,   ,,i.,  nii-lit   lia\c  .     .    .  ii  on  tl,..    -i-.mh,!. 

I  ^<\\     it    s  .  !!,•  .1    -  •    1m. I  r  t  liat 

\\f  \  Ir.arv  w  iltioin  >>    sii  n,  ,ii  ndtd    li\    -a\a.i_:<s. 

\\itl;  rtiniit\    to  s(  .-inc  help  c\t'ii   if  w  t    w  mtcil    it 

M\\    \','\'.\  Ii-  n   add   to  tills,   tlic  fa-t    tlcit     -M-     had     to 

pickt  '  liM|-,(^    :itid  ili     o'lr      \\;i:M>ti>      with 

rO])«-  k'   '    i'    !','    'I,  Ml'      I'lown     ;i\\;l\   ,     aud 

on  1-  h'  M  -  iiii.       "-  iich    w  ere 

tht'  Nvihi  -c.  II.  --  -.1    !li  'iiat    tli<-    »  /itirc    c«>iiipanv 

uas  tilled  with  -^1 .1.  nil.  i   midf  t"  ^\  nud*  r  w  int  licr 

icoll  llt»I        lil.iliN  '111-.      oil      .  Ml  r 

\\ '  -i    \  ,1 ;  ■  1  y  •  .  •  '  '  >Mr  captai  Ii    i' '  <  in'  ui  r  il;c  us  said   he 

nc\.r  h  (d  .■>:  I  siich  a    ni;;ht    as    this    in     all     Ins 
t 

i  ,,.     ,..  •   ■      '♦'  —  >"  — 1-^  the  sal.hatli.     uid    as 

\\>     j.iiil  I,.  -If   dl-talM-,     f  |..!ii    the 

road  sittiii-  in  the   door  of  his    tent     w  lio    looked    (pnte 


tliih  trip,  savin-   tiiat   lie  ti  \\«Miid    add    at     Last 

fifteen  \eaj-s  fo  a   rniii'-  lif.  tlie    plains     to     nic 

iiini  fullv   I    called    out    to 
111 !:;  .        I  ■  ii  is  a   rat  her  halt  I  w  a\ 

to    :r\^\    U"  Hi-,    loMV    s,d     SiMl 

:ito  ^iiii  1.  -  as    h..    -aw      who     I 
was.  and  caiiie  lorward    with    extended    hand    and    as    I 


1 

^ 


'"^L-^f  J  i 


( 


O 
O 


W_ 


8CEMSS    OF    EABLIEB    DAYS.  13 

grasped  it  he  said:  '*I  rather  think  it  is  for  I  never  bar- 
gained for  so  much."  When  I  came  to  talk  with 
him  I  found  that  during  the  wild  night  of  which  I  have 
spoken,  his  cattle  stampeded  and  he  was  left  with  only 
one  yoke  of  cattle  to  pull  his  three  wagons  and  family 
to  Oregon.  1  learned  afterwards  that  his  sons,  who 
were  out  searching  for  the  cattle  when  I  was  at  his  tent, 
found  them  all,  and  from  that  on  he  was  as  fortunate  as 
most  of  the  emigrants.  Afer  we  all  arrived  safely  in 
Ore^ion,  he  used  to  tell  of  our  meeting  that  day  on  the 
Platte,  and  how  I  made  sport  about  adding  fifteen  years 
to  a  man's  life  not  knowing  at  the  time  he  had  lost  his 
cattle  in  the  storm. 

One  day,  as  we  were  traveling  leisurely  along,  all  at 
once  several  hundred  Pawnee  Indians  came  dashing  up 
to  our  train  on  their  bobtail  ponies  with  their  faces 
all  painted  in  war  style. 

CHAPTER  V. 

They  came  with  a  war  whoop,  no  doubt  with  the  hopes 
of  frightening  us.  But  as  we  numbered  one  hundred 
and  t\\  *  tity  men  and  showed  them  our  military  arms  they 
said  tli<  V  only  wanted  pay  for  passing  through  their 
countiN  \\  <•  even  refused  this  for  our  captain  Ii.kI 
told  us  not  to  pay  them  anything,  nor  give  them  any- 
thing to  eat.  When  they  saw  they  could  gain  nothing 
from  us  they  left  peaceably  and  went  after  some  ox 
trains,  where  they  were  more  successful  in  their  efforts 
as  they  obtained  a  three  year  old  heifer  from  one  com- 
pany. 


14  SCENES     OF     EARLIER     DAYS. 


It  was  while  traveling  in  the  Platte  country  that  I  saw 
my  first  hare,  or  what  we  as  CaHfornians  now  call  'jack 
rabbits."  In  company  with  a  friend  who  was  known  as 
Joe  Lucas  in  our  train,  I  went  out  one  day  some  distance 
from  the  road  to  hunt  for  game.  Jnst  as  we  began  to 
enter  the  foot  hills  up  jumped  an  animal  with  very  long 
ears  for  its  height  or  the  length  of  its  body,  as  it  started 
from  us  it  seemed  to  be  lame.  After  a  few  jumps  it 
stood  on  its  hind  legs  and  looked  at  us  as  much  as  to 
say,  "I  dare  you  to  fire  a  shot  at  me."  I  raised  my  gun 
to  fire,  but,  as  hunters  say,  it  snapped,  for  by  some 
means  the  powder  was  damp.  When  I  found  my  gun 
was  a  failure  1  called  out,  "Joe,  shoot  it,  or  it  will  get 
away  from  us  yet."  "No,"  said  he,  "I  will  catch  it 
for  it  is  very  lame  and  cannot  run  far."  He  seated  him- 
self, pulled  off  his  boots  and  socks  and  away  he  went 
on  the  chase.  The  animal  made  a  few  leaps  and  was 
out  of  sight,  lame  as  he  seemed  to  be. 

It  would  be  hard  to  picture  a  more  forlorn  looking 
man  than  Joe  was  when  he  seated  himself  to  pull  the 
stickers  out  of  his  feet  and  put  on  his  boots.  Said  he 
"I  never  was  so  deceived  in  an  animal  in  all  my  life." 
What  can  it  be,  anyway. 

He  was  as  much  disappointed  as  the  Irishman  who 
came  to  America  and  had  never  seen  much  of  the  world. 
I  do  not  vouch  for  the  truthfulness  of  this  story,  but 
give  it  to  you    just  as  I  heard  it. 

As  I  said  the  Irishman  came  to  America  and  landed 
in  San  Francisco  but  as  he  was  raised  on  a  farm  he  made 
his  way  into  the  country  to  look  for  work.  One  day  he 
met  a  man  driving  a  pair  of  mules  and  his    wagon   was 


SPKNKS     OF     E\Ur.lKK      DAYS.  15 

loidetl  with  large  squashes.  He  ventured  up  to  the 
driver  and  said  (putting  his  liand  on  the  squashes) 
*' What  are  these  things?"  lluse,"   said   the   driver, 

are  mule  eggs  and  if  you  w  ant  to  raise  an  animal  like 
these  I  am  driving  all  you  have  to  do  is  to  take  one  of 
these  eggs  and  set  on  it  for  three  weeks  and  it  will 
hatch  out  a  mule. 

.  Pat  took  one  and  sat  on  it  until  he  became  tired  and 
then  went  away  for  a  rest.  While  he  was  gone  a  jack 
rabbitt  hid  himself  behind  it  and  when  Pat  returned  the 
animal  jumped  up  and  ran  off.  Gazing  after  it  and 
seeing  its  long  ears  he  instantly  called  out,  "Hey,  you 
baste,  come  back  here.     I  am  your  father  " 

We  were  not  quite  as  green  as  Pat,  but  one  thing 
sure  we  did  not  know  the  name  of  the  animal,  and  the 
fact  was  it  looked  like  a  mule  with  its  long  ears. 

The  first  buffalo  we  saw  on  our  travels  was  on  the 
Platte,  and  a  number  of  our  men  concluded  one  day,  as 
a  beautiful  herd  came  in  sight,  that  they  would  give 
chase  and  secure  some  fresh  meat  if  possible.  Some 
went  with  hoises  and  some  on  foot.  They  wandered  so 
far  from  the  train  that  day  that  only  those  on  horses 
could  return.  The  footmen  remained  out  without  food 
or  blankets.  Neither  were  successful  in  their  hunt  and 
we  had  to  abide  our  time  for  fresh  meat. 

The  second  day  in  the  afternoon  the-footmen  caught 
up  with  us,  tired  and  foot  sore.  One  of  the  footmen 
whose  name  was  Bill  Havens,  at  least  called  such  among 
the  boj's,  had  a  most  marvelous  tale  to  relate  of  his  ad- 
ventures and  narrow  escapes.  He  said,  "I  got  near 
enough  to  shoot  a  buffalo  and  it  made  him  mad  and   he 


I(T  SCESTES-    OF"    EARLIER    CATS'. 

took  after  me.  When  the  others  Sf\w  him  running  they- 
ran  too  and  I  was  chased  by  a  large  herd  They  were 
all  throwiivg  their  tails  'wiggletree^  waggletree,  wig-gie- 
tree,  waggletree  / '^ 

It  seemed  so  iinreasofiable  that  one  eould  see  the  tails- 
of  an  entire  lierd  of  buffalo'  when  he  was^  running  for 
dear  life  with  all  his  speed  from  them,  that  all  who 
Ireard  him  laughed  heartily.  An  old  gentleman  in  the 
train,  who  had  been  a  u>ernber  of  tlie  Illinois  legislature 
foi'  eight  term*  in  succession,  called  out  "attentionymen,, 
this  roan  s  name  shall  be  Buffalo  Bill  from  this  on,  for 
he  is  the  only  man  living  that  could  run  from  a  herd  of 
buffalo  and  at  the  satne  tinie  see  their  tails- going  wiggle- 
tree,  waggletree." 

He  carried  that  name  into  Oregon  and  I  heard  of  hims 
afterward  in  California  and  he  still  kept  the  name.  It 
was  said  that  he  c*arried  the  name  back  to  Michig-an,  the 
state  from  whence  he  came,  but  whether  he  did  or  not 
he  was  a  useful  man  in  the  company  and  ever  ready  to 
lend  a  helping  hand.  He  was  not  the  Buffalo  Bill  of  the 
Wild  West  shows. 

In  our  journeying  one  day  we  saw  a  very  tall  object 
rearing  its  head  above  valleys  and  hills  and  we  knew 
from  what  we  had  read  and  what  our  captain  told  us 
that  it  must  be  Chimney  rock,  W'e  found  when  we  at- 
tempted to  measure  distances  in  that  country  with  the 
eye  we  were  very  liable  to  be  greatly  deceived.  Some 
thought  it  might  be  ten  miles  distant,  some  fifteen, 
while  a  few  others  said  it  might  be  twenty.  Some  of  our 
party  resolved  to  see  it  and  they  started  very  early  in 
the  morning  traveling  all  day  and  camping  out. 


8CBNK8    OP    EXRUIER    DAVS.  17 

CHAPTKli  VL 

It  was  not  until  ike  second  <Uy  that  tkey  Tinclied  it, 
and  to  their  surprise  and  chagrin  found  that  it  had  been 
a  very  large  rock  and  that  the  teeth  of  time  had  been 
gnawing  OR  it  until  in  the  distance  it  looked  like  a 
chimney  There  was  an  ininiense  jMle  of  rock  at  the 
foot  that  had  been  broken  off  and  fallen  down,  while  a 
mere  stem  was  left  standing. 

The  men  were  out  three  days  and  two  nights  to  see  a 
Luge  mass  of  stone,  and  to  travel  what  some  thought 
was  ten,  fifteen  or  twenty  miles.  This  cured  them  of 
going  off  great  distances  in  order  to  see  the  curiosities 
by  the  way. 

Traveling  up  the  Platte  proved  to  be  the  real  pleasure 
portion  of  our  long  jouru<  v  tot  as  we  advanced  the 
storms  were  less  frecjuent  until  they  finally  disappeai^iK 

After  many  days  traveling  we  found  ourselves  opj)OK- 
site  Fort  Laramie  for  it  was  located  on  the  south  side  of 
the  river.  Here  we  saw  the  first  house  on  our  journey 
after  leaving  the  Morman  Cabins  this  side  of  where 
Omaha  now  is.  We  tarried  here  for  the  noon  hour  and 
while  we  were  eating  our  lunch  quite  a  numlK^r  of  Sioux 
Indians  came  to  us  and  seated  themselves  on  the  ground 
and  commenced  to  pick  the  lice  from  each  others  heads 
and  crack  them  between  their  teeth  as  though  they  were 
precious  morsels.  This  was  more  filth  than  I  expected 
to  see  among  human  beings  and  I  confess  that  it  was 
with  difficuly  that  I  finished  my  meal.  I  have  seen 
thousands  of  Indians  since  that  day  and  many  of  them 
much  lower  in  the  scale  of  intelligence  than  these  Sioux 


18  SCENES     OF     EARLIER     DAYS. 


but  I  never  have  witnessed  huch  a  scene  as  that  since 
that  day  and  fondly  hope  1  never  will.  After  leaving 
Fort  Laramie  we  entered  what  was  known  as  the  J  lack 
hills  They  seemed  more  dark  and  rugged  on  the  south 
side  of  the  river  than  on  the  north.  Jlie  valley  on  either 
side  was  ver}'  narrow  and  sometimes  it  looked  like  we 
were  completely  hemmed,  but  by  making  a  sharp  curve 
we  would  round  a  hill  and  start  up  another  narrow 
valle3^  Thus  we  kept  on  our  way  until  we  were  through 
these  hills. 

One  day  my  friend  Joe  and  I  went  out  on  a  hunt  and 
several  miles  north  of  the  wagon  load  we  found  some- 
thing that  resembled  the  ruins  of  an  ancient  castle  and 
quite  near  it  a  beautiful  spring  of  clear,  cold  water 
bubbling  up  from  the  middle  of  a  large  flat  rock  which 
looked  like  it  had  been  scooped  out  on  purpose  for  it. 
Good  water  or  in  fact  water  at  all  we  found  very  scarce 
in  that  country  save  in  the  Platte. 

We  traveled  all  day  and  late  in  the  evenin.i2f  we  killed 
an  antelope,  but  as  we  were  several  miles  from  camp 
and  no  moonlight  we  did  not  take  time  to  dress  it  for 
fear  we  might  be  dressed  by  some  wandering  Indians  or 
a  pack  of  hungry  wolves.  We  simply  hitched  ourselves 
to  it  and  dragged  it  to  camp.  The  meat  was  excellent 
and  others  besides  ourselves  shared  in  its  goodness  and 
partook  of  its  benefits.  It  is  only  those  who  travel  and 
camp  out  in  the  open  air  that  know  what  an  appetite  it 
gives  and  how  it  improves  the  health. 

The  fall  before  we  left  Illinois  I  bought  a  hog,  whicn 
dressed  150  pounds,  for  my  small  family  and  we  ate  of 
it  all  winter.     When  we  started  west  it  looked   like   it 


liad  hardly  been  touched.  I  t(»l(l  mv  latht  i  that  I 
thouprht  wo  had  meat  eiiou^li  t<»  last  u«  ti)  <. 'ie«^oii  aiui 
iie  caim  to  the  same  conclusion  .  There  was  not  a  si«gle 
pound  of  that  pig  left  when  we  reached  Council  Bluffs. 
There  we  bought  more  and  that  was  all  gone  before  we 
reached  our  destination.  If  anyone  wants  to  improve 
their  health  and  stn'M<^th  h-t  tlum  trav<']  with  wai^ons 
and  horses  and  camp  out  in  the  op(u  aii 

There  was  one  thing  that  was  cJic*  riny  if ter  we  passed 
into  the  Hhick  Hills  and  that  was  we  could  leave  off 
cooking  with  1  Ml  Halo  chips  and  have  plenty  of  wood. 
We  also  found  that  we  were  g<tt I II-  into  a  lii;^her  lati- 
tude and  at  tiuus  we  wanted  a  Ixtlci  tire  tliaii  ((uild  be 
made  from  cliips.  After  passin;^  thi<iiiL;li  these  liills  we 
found  a  large  cxt«iit  "f  I.  \(  ]  (vmntix  a^ain.  And  as  we 
pressed  on,  day  after  day,  we  .ventnally  came  to  a 
stream  called  Sweetwater  and  tli.iv  was  a  terrible 
can^'on  on  it  known  as  D<'\il'-  ('an\..n.  ;t  wa-  al.ont 
OTiP  and  oTif  lialf  miles  in  length  with  hohd  walls  ol  lot-k 
on  either  Nid,  j.a<  liinj^'  up  hundreds  of  feet.  Some  of 
Oiii'  conipanN  \sle'li:id  !>*•< n  tn  see  Cliinmev  IJoek  eo?!. 
<-ludeii,  that  as  this  cuiiu.sity  was  near  at  hand,  thiy 
would  survey  its  mysteries  and  see  if  they  w(  re  not 
more  beaiitiful  tlian  the  Cliinmev. 

Not  lon^  aftt  1  they  entered  it  then  feet  began  to  slip 
on  the  rocks,  worn  smooth  by  the  waters.  As  the 
waters  were  i<  llinn^  and  tumhling  in  terrific  majesty  and 
the  spray  tlyin;^  in  all  directions  and  wetting  them,  and 
the  roar  of  the  canyon  was  like  mi;  lity  thunders,  and 
as  they  were  slijtpiiiL'  and  fallin;^  they  wished  they  had 
never  entered  the  d<<h  tUl  y«>!g<  .     However,  after  a  time 


It  stood  and  looked  at  us. — page  14. 


BCENE8  OF  KARLIBR  DAYS.  21 


they  got  out  alive  but  bruised  and  battered,  and  con- 
cluded they  did  not  want  anything  more  to  do  with 
places  named  for  the  devil,  that  he  himself  was  a  very 
tough  customer  and  if  they  were  much  with  him  they 
might  become  like  him. 

In  that  same  region  we  found  a  vast  field  of  ice  that 
the  summer  suns  never  melt.  By  digging  down  from  a 
foot  to  two  feet  through  the  soil  it  is  found  in  abund- 
ance but  is  said  to  be  poisonous  for  drinking  purposes. 
The  covering  to  this  ice  is  clothed  with  a  thick  carpet  of 
buffalo  grass,  and  when  one  looks  at  it  they  wonder  how 
it  is  possible  for  vegetation  to  grow  so  near  where  ice 
remains  all  the  time,  but  it  does.  How  far  down  this 
ice  extends  I  have  no  means  of  knowing  as  we  found  no 
bottom  to  it. 

There  is  still  another  curiosity  in  this  region  of 
country.  It  is  that  of  an  immense  rock  rearing  its 
head  up  in  a  seemingly  level  plain  calleil  Indepedence. 
The  name  is  said  to  have  been  given  to  it  by  some  emi- 
grants who  camped  near  it  on  the  Fourth  of  July  years 
before  this  and  celebrated  the  birthday  of  our  country. 
The  rock  is  more  than  a  mile  in  circumference  and  at 
least  a  fourth  of  a  mile  in  heigth.  Unlike  Chimney 
Rock  time  had  not  worn  its  sides  away.  It  was  not  so 
smooth,  however,  but  that  its  ascent  could  be  easily 
made.  And  as  one  climbed  its  sides  he  could  read  hun- 
dreds of  names,  and  well  up  into  the  thousands,  for 
wherever  there  was  room  there  was  a  name.  Here  I 
saw  the  names  of  many  whom  I  had  known  in  my 
younger  days  and  wondered  if  they  yet  lived.     This 


22  SCENES^    OF'    EARLIER    DAYS: 

nianumental    stone   made   us-  for    the   tiiue    forget   the- 
weariness  &i  our  journey, 

A  friend  of  mine  who  crossed  the  plains  in  1H52,  and' 
whom  I  always  regarded  as  a  triithfal  man,  told  me  that 
not  far  from  Independence  liock  he  went  o»  a  hunt  one 
day  and  in  his  rambles  he  found  quite  a  large  hill  that 
attracted  bis  notice  on  a<?count  &i  it&  peculiar  appear- 
ance. He  approached  it  and  f^pent  some  time  in  its  ex- 
amination and  finally  with  hm  hatchet  that  he  carried  in 
his  belt  he  chipped  off  a  piece  of  it  and  found  it  to  be- 
almost  pure  lead,  and  that  when  he  arrived  at  camp  and 
melted  it  he  saw  that  it  made  good  bullets,  except  that 
it  was  a  little  too  hard.  He  brougbt  a  piece  of  it  into- 
Oregon  and  experts  pronounced  it  lead  with  a  small 
mixture  of  silver.  He  never  returned  to  work  it  and 
prove  its  richness. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

The  first  night  after  we  left  Independence  Rock  we 
found  the  grass  very  scarce  near  the  road  and  my  friend 
Joe  proposed  to  me  that  if  I  would  go  with  hdm  he 
would  take  the  horses  to  better  feed.  We  left  the  tiain, 
camped  near  a  small  stream  and  with  our  rifles  and 
blankets  we  took  the  horses  about  three  miles,  where 
finding  an  excellent  lot  of  grass  we  proceeded  to  picket 
them  securely  not  knowing  what  might  happen  during 
the  night. 

We  were  in  a  valley  shaped  like  a  horse  shoe  with  low 
hills  on  three  sides  of  it.     It  was  a  beautiful  spot   and 


SCE19E8    OF     EARLIER    DAYS.  23 

covered  with  luxuriant  grass.  When  night  came  we 
roll*  (1  (Mirselves  in  our  blankets  and  lay  down  to  sleep, 
'with  ihci  heavens  above  for  our  tent.  We  were  up  so 
high  on  the  Kocky  Mouutains  that  we  did  not  anticipate 
much  danj^er  from  the  red  men  and  then  we  had  not 
kindled  a  iire  that  would  be  a  signal  that  some  emigrants 
were  campled  there.  We  were  just  getting  into  a  quiet 
slumber  and,  of  course,  not  susjjecting  any  danger  near, 
when  all  of  a  sudden  a  mule  (which  by  the  way  is  the 
best  guard  one  can  have  ou  huch  a  journey)  raised  a 
terrible  snort  and  instantly  every  animal  was  {rawing 
and  snortiijg  too,  and  trying  to  break  loose  from  their 
fastenings.  We  thought  what  has  hap|)ened  now  to 
frighten  our  animals  like  this  and  as  soon  as  possible  we 
were  up  with  our  guns  in  hand  and  among  the  animals 
to  see  if  we  could  find  the  cause  of  their  fright.  As  we 
came  to  tbem  we  spoke  in  gentle  tones  trying  to  quiet 
them.  We  searched  in  vain  for  the  cause  of  their  fright 
but  could  find  none,  and  finally  retired  again  for  the 
night. 

The  next  morning  after  daylight  we  started  for  our 
camp  with  the  horses  and  found  that  about  150  yards 
from  us  a  very  large  grizzly  bear  had  passed  during  the 
night.  We  were  glad  the  wind  blew  from  him  to  us 
and  not  from  us  to  him  for  had  it  been  otherwise  he 
would  have  scented  us  and  have  had  a  royal  feast  either 
of  human  or  horse  fiesh.  The  bear  must  have  thought 
the  snort  of  the  horses  was  thunder  at  his  heels  and  that 
he  had  better  be  getting  away  from  it  as  fast  as  he  could, 
for  just  opposite  where  we  uere  at  night  his  bearship 
showed  that  he  shufiied'off  with  accelerated  speed. 


% 

24  SCENES     OF     EARLIER    DAYS. 


As  one  climbs  up  the  Hocky  Mountains  he  scarcely 
realizes  that  he  is  going-  up  hill  the  ascent  is  so  gradual. 
When  we  at  last  reached  the  summit  I  wondered  why 
they  were  called  Rocky  Mountains  for  there  were  no 
rocl^s  in  sight,  but  one  vast  unbroken  plain  with  here 
aiid  there  a  very  small  amount  of  timber.  When  we 
came  to  what  was  known  as  the  Pacific  springs  and  saw 
the  water  flowing  westward  we  knew  we  had  came  to 
the  place  "where  gravitation  shifting  turns  the  other 
way."  And  this  we  all  said  is  the  summit  towards 
which  we  have  all  been  climbing  for  weeks  and  if  oar 
decent  proves  as  fortunate  as  our  ascent  we  will  yet 
land  on  the  Pacific  slope  all  safe  and  sound  for  we  have 
had  no  sickness  as  yet  in  all  our  travels. 

From  the  summit  the  waters  flowed  both  east  and 
west;  pointing  toward  the  rising  sun  from  w^hence  we 
came  and  to  the  setting  sun  towards  which  we  were 
journeying.  I  took  my  rifle  and  went  out  for  a  little 
hunt,  as  much  as  anything  else,  1  suppose,  that  I  might 
have  it  to  say  in  after  years  that  I  hunted  one  day  on  the 
summit  of  the  Rocky  Mountains  or  the  back  bone  of  our 
continent.  The  wind  was  blowing  quite  hard  and  it  was 
very  cold  so  that  I  did  not  remain  long.  In  my  rambles 
I  did  not  find  either  deer,  antelope,  or  rabbit,  but  I  did 
find  a  home-made  butcher  knife  with  its  buck-horn 
handle,  a  relic  that  I  prized  very  highly  as  it  came  from 
the  summit.  But  someone  else  in  the  train  prized  it 
highly  too  and  appropriated  it  without  leave  to  his  own 
use,  or  then  I  left  it  by  mistake  near  some  of  our  lonely 
camp  fires. 

It  was  about  noon  when  we  passed  over  the   summit 


\—  1        I  lER     DAYS,  25 

and  when  wv  \v«  nt  into  camp  that  night  it  was  void  ami 
frosty  altliMiioh  about  the  20th  of  -June.  Ht mmkI  this 
\vt  caiiif  tt>  the  forks  of  the  i-oad,  one  calUd  Sul)Jt't's 
cut-off  and  the  other  the  old  emigrant  rt^d  past  Fort 
f^  1  -  r-  'fhe  cut-off  was  said  to  be  a  little  shorter  road 
t  <»ther  but  a  much  nuigher  one.      Htntlu   train 

separated  and  -a'-  w  .  r.  (•[,.  iiihuil;  the  nnnil»t  r  wiio  de- 
^;,1<wl  ♦,>,,,,.  1 1,,  r.iid^,  r  jo.t.l.  Thr  niLjlit  Uf  canijiefl 
I  •  lif  ice  titMiictl    at    h'ast    an     inch     thick    al- 

tlitMi-ii  It   wa^  the  1st  of  July. 

After  Icuvui"^  Biidger  we  passed  over  a  v«rv  l»i,L;h 
ridge  and  then  gradually  deceuded  into  th.  Cn  ri\(r 
country.  When  we  e,»ine  near  enougli  t<«  tlic  lu.ttom 
land  to  see  it  fnlly  a  si«,'ht  greeted  us  that  wi'-  chcciiiiL; 
t<»  Ix.tli  man  ai\'l  1m  i^t  and  seeinc.l  to  |mt  new  hi.  mto 
b<Hh.      As  far  as  t'  ■  onl.l  i»ach.  tor  the  valh  \    was 

lx>th  wide  and  Ion  rn\rv(i\   witlj   red    toji     lion, 

two  t<p  f.inr  feet  hi::h  and  all  our  Ina-'-e^  ha<l  to  <hi  as  we 
ino\e(l  along  was  to  plmk  it  on  either  snh  ot  the  road. 
Then  tiie  only  sign  of  ei\ili/ation  was  Irt  riid-.r  a 
place  settled  many  years  before  by  a  man  h\  the  mime 
of  Bridger  from  the  state  of  KoTitiirky  Now  th<  n  is 
said  to  lif- l>f»autiful  homes  ami  tow  u^^  ill  tlivoii-h  that 
<■'  •    woul.l   I.e  .litVK-n-  the     old 

ti.       .  .  I     ^  ihiii  way  and  iec**^.../.»    ii.*    iuatl  over 

which  he  then  traveled  or  any  of  the  hills  he  then 
passed. 

One  day  when  traveling  uIohl  the  {.orders  of  this 
beautiful  landscape  and  throu;.'Ii  the  \a-t  sea  of  red  top 
we  found  a  creek  called  Soap  creek,  which  I  think  was 
rightly  named,  for  it  smelled  just  like  the  boiling  soft 


26  SCENES     OF     EARLIER     DAYS. 


Boap  that  my  mother  used  to  make  me  stir  when  i  was  a 
small  boy,  the  scent  of  which  I  was  not  found  of,  and 
which  still  lingers  with  me  when  1  think  of  those  days* 


CHAPTER    VILI. 


We  knew  nothing  about  the  depth  of  this  creek  (if 
such  it  could  be  called)  for  where  it  seemed  like  water 
ought  to  have  been  was  only  this  soft  soapy  substance 
and  very  miry.  When  we  probed  it  with  sticks  we  found 
it  was  about  eighteen  inches  in  depth.  This  encouraged 
us  and  we  drove  in  and  across  without  any  serious 
trouble,  only  that  which  we  borrowed.  We  were  afraid, 
as  the  horses'  legs  were  covered  with  the  soap,  that  it 
might  be  strong  enough  to  eat  the  hair  off  and  leave 
them  sore,  for  there  was  no  water  in  sight  with  which 
to  cleanse  them  and  our  wagons.  Nature  generally 
provides  for  emergencies,  especially  if  it  creates  them, 
and  it  was  not  long  until  one  of  the  most  beautiful 
sights  of  our  entire  journey  greeted  us. 

We  were  passing  near  a  great  wall  of  black  rock  on 
our  right  hand  that  was  several  hundred  feet  in  height, 
when  to  our  astonishment  a  great  river  came  gushing 
out  from  beneath  it  more  than  a  hundred  feet  wide  and 
from  six  inches  to  three  feet  in  depth.  Its  waters  were 
like  ice  water  and  of  the  very  best  quality,  running  on 
a  bed  of  small  gravel  and  went  rushing  on  towards 
Bear  river.  Before  we  reached  the  opposite  shore  we 
had  both  our  wagons  and  horses  cleansed  from  the  filth 
of  Soap  creek 

I  looked  on  that  stream  without  a  name  with   a  great 


SCENES     OF     EARLIER     DATS.  27 

deal  of  interest  and  wondered  where  such  a  large  body 
of  water  came  from  and  how  its  channel  was  formed. 
The  \N  ind  River  mountains  clud  iu  snow  were  in  full 
view  and  no  doubt  this  stream  had  its  origin  there  and 
that  its  channel  was  formed  by  some  great  upheaval  of 
nature.  It  was  there,  and  there  to  stay  until  some  of 
nature's  convulsions  should  close  it.  Right  glad  we 
were  that  it  did  not  occur  while  we  were  there  for  we 
might  have  been  precipiated  through  the  center  of  the 
earth  with  Jules  Verne,  a  trip  we  had  no  longing  for  as 
we  were  bound  for  Oregon  so  that  we  rai^dit  "add  fifteen 
3'earH  to  our  lives." 

Below  this  a  few  miles  Bear  river  makes  a  very  sudden 
bend  like  an  elbow  and  goes  rushing  off  towards  the 
Great  Salt  Lake.  Near  where  this  bend  o -curs  there  is 
a  curiousity  known  as  Soda  Springs.  There  are  a  num- 
ber of  them  and  some  of  them  excellent  soda  water. 
There  is  one  which  deserves  special  mention  called 
Steamboat  Springs.  There  are  times  when  it  seems  to 
l)e  resting  and  then  it  is  as  quiet  as  n  seeping  babe, 
when  all  of  a  sudden  it  breaks.forth  putting  and  blowing 
like  a  steamboat  and  sending  its  soda  sprays  far  into  the 
air.  It  was  sound  asleep  when  we  were  there  and  as  I 
gazed  down  into  its  mysterious  depths  I  could  but  wish 
it  would  wake  up  and  make  us  emigrants  retreat  in  a 
hurry  from  its  commotions. 

The  country  all  around  these  springs  bear  unmistaka- 
ble signs  of  some  mighty  shakings  and  that  volcanic  fires 
were  not  very  far  away  even  then.  A  gentleman  with 
whom  I  conversed  afterwards  told  me  that  a  number  of 
them  went  out  on  a  hunt  some  ten  or  twelve  miles  north 


SCENES    OF     EARLIER    DAYS.  29 


of  these  springs  and  in  their  ramblings  they  came  to  a 
depressed  valley  of  small  size  and  in  various  places  over 
it  smoke  was  coming  out  of  the  ground,  showing  there 
was  fire  beneath.  The  country  around  the  springs  and 
between  there  and  Fort  Hall  was  much  better  and  richer 
in  appearance  than  thousands  of  acres  over  which  we 
had  passed  beyond  Fort  Bridger,  or  even  the  high  pla- 
teau on  which  the  fort  stands. 

It  was  near  these  springs  that  we  met  all  of  our  old 
company  who  had  gone  the  Sublet  route,  except  the  old 
gentleman  and  his  family  with  whom  we  had  started 
from  Illinois.  They  got  in  a  hurry  and  pressed  on  with- 
out any  companions  save  their  own  and  there  were  seven 
men  and  four  women  of  them. 

When  they  had  passed  1  ut  Hall  and  came  to  a 
siiiall  body  of  timber  some  Indians  made  an  attempt  to 
run  in  ahead  of  them,  and  had  it  not  been  for  the 
bravery  of  one  women,  who  had  learned  to  handle  a 
rifle,  the  Indians  would  have  succeeded.  But  she  with 
her  braverj'  kept  them  at  a  distance  until  open  -ground 
was  found,  when  the  Indians  retreated  to  the  great  joy 
of  the  company. 

The  night  after  we  left  the  Springs  we  camped  near 
the  foot  of  a  mountain  and  close  to  our  road  there  was  a 
large  flat  rock  and  near  the  middle  of  it  a  fine  soda  spring 
with  excellent  drinking  water  came  bubbling  up.  This 
was  the  night  of  the  Fourth  nt  ,Iii]\ ,  a  day  that  should 
never  be  forgotten  by  any  lover  of  his  country,  it  matters 
not  in  what  portion  of  the  world  he  may  be.  Here  we 
had  a  wilderness  celebration  of  the  day,  as  we  had  quite 
a  large  company  of  our  own  and  besides  our  own,  here  I 


30  SCENES     OF     EARLIER     DAYS. 


found  my  old  Illinois  friend  who  was  intending  to  "add 
fifteen  years  to  bis  life."  We  asked  him  for  a  short 
speech,  which  he  gave  in  good  style,  and  then  we  gave 
three  cheers  for  our  country,  fired  our  guns,  placed  our 
guards  in  position  and  retired  for  the  night.  The  next 
night  we  camped  near  Fort  Hall,  which  at  the  time  was 
only  occupied  by  some  French  traders.  Uncle  Sam's 
boys  were  not  there,  not  even  one  that  we  saw,  and  yet 
the  fort  was  among  the  Sohones  or  Snake  Indians,  one 
of  the  worst  tribes  that  ever  lived  on  the  American  con- 
tinent for  low  cunning,  m^aness  and  treachery,  which 
many  emigrants  found  to  their  sorrow  both  before  and 
after  this. 

Even  that  year  the  emigration  expected  to  have  pro- 
tection from  the  forts,  but  they  were  doomed  to  disap- 
pointment, and  the  savages  did  as  they  pleased,  roamed 
where  they  liked  and  stole  stock  from  the  poor  emigrants, 
yet  all  the  time  pretending  great  friendship. 

The  man  at  the  fort  warned  us  to  look  out  for  theiv- 
ing  Indians  and  said  they  would  be  likely  to  visit  our 
camp  at  night  whether  we  saw  anything  of  them  through 
the  day  or  not.  Sure  enough  the  night  we  tarried  in 
full  view  of  the  fort  they  came  we  supposed  about  mid- 
niuht  when  the  guards  were  being  changed  and  took 
three  horses  and  made  their  escape  with  them  while  no 
one  knew  they  were  gone  until  the  next  morning.  We 
never  saw  nor  heard  of  then  afterwards  and  knew  they 
had  not  strayed  from  us  with  their  own  accord.  There 
was  a  Frenchman  at  the  fort  who  had  traveled  the  road 
to  western  Oregon  frequently  and  he  gave  us  a  guide 
written  in  English  pointing  out  the  best   camping   and 


8CkME8    OF     EABIIfR*  DAYS.  31 


"watering?  pluces  >*hich  we  found  ittt  i wards  to  be  of  ex- 
<f']l(  nt  service.  The  second  day's  travel  from  Fort  Hall 
^v('  were  overtaken  by  a  Nez  Pierce  chief  and  his  family, 
and  he  asked  for  the  privile;^*  <)t  (luipiiiL;  in  ai  u^  as  a 
protection  from  the  Snake  Indians  W  <  very  gladly 
consented,  for  we  thought  if  it  was  m  <  rssary  for  one 
Indian  to  be  cautious  of  others  that  we  had  better  be  on 
the  sharp  lookout  ourselves.  'I  his  chief  had  been  edu- 
cated at  the  Spaulding  mission  and  could  talk  the  Kng- 
lish  language  very  well,  at  least  well  enough  to  be  under- 
stood. 

The  first  night  he  camped  with  us  the  Snakes  stole 
fi\<  licad  of  horses  from  him.  In  the  morning  he  came 
uikI  as' ed  fo!  the  privilege  of  his  ffunily  camping  near 
>i^  will),  lie  went  out  in  searcli  "t  tli»  stolen  horses. 
This  chief  had  been  beyond  the  fort  buying  emigrant 
stock  and  recuiting  them  so  that  they  could  travel  to  his 
home  at  the  Mission.  He  wns  gone  five  days  and  we  all 
expected  that  he  was  murdered  but  one  evening  about 
sun-down  he  came  up  with  our  camp,  bringing  all  the 
stolen  animals.  J)ui>ng  his  absence  his  companions  did 
not  show  any  uneasiness  for  fear  he  might  never  return. 
He  was  not  hurt  himself  in  the  least,  while  he  declared 
that  lie  killed  all  three  of  the  Indians  who  had  done  the 
stealing.  He  traveled  with  us  about  two  weeks  and  then 
left  for  his  home.  Before  he  left  he  tried  verj'  hard  to 
get  me  and  my  family  to  go  home  with  him  and  teach 
his  people  how  to  read  and  write  and  farm  and  cook, 
promising  us  a  good  home  with  a  good  house  and  or- 
chard with  all  the  land  I  wanted  and  plenty  of  horses 
and  cattle.      We  declined  his  ^renerous  offer  for  we    felt 


32  SCENES    OF     EARLIER     DAYS'. 


we  had  been  aiuoii;;  Indian  tribes  as  long  as  we  eared 
about.  I  learned  afterward  from  those  who  knew  him 
that  he  would  have  been  as  puaotual  to  his^  promises  as 
any  white  man, 

Belaw  Fart  Hall  were  the  American  Falls,  one  road 
to  Oregon  crossed  the  river  near  them  while  the  other 
continued  on  the  south  side.  We  traveled  on  the  south 
side  of  Snake  river  and  it  was  not  long  until  we  encount- 
ered a  very  hilly  and  rocky  country,  making  it  hard  on 
our  wagons  and  teams  and  very  trying  on  our  pratience. 
It  was  very  difficult  to  travel  over  them  and  still  more 
difficult  to  find  plenty  of  grass  for  our  horses. 

When  we  came  to  Goose  creek  we  found  that  the  road 
to  California  went  up  that  stream  and  here  quite  a  num- 
ber of  our  train  left  us  for  the  Golden  State  whom  we 
never  saw  again, and  among  that  number  was  my  friend 
Joe,  There  were  times  when  we  had  to  travel  so  near 
the  water  that  it  seemed  like  our  wagons  would  upset 
and  land  us  all  in  a  watery-  grave.  On  the  upper  sid^^ 
was  a  rocky  wall  and  we  could  not  dodge  sometimes  six 
inches  without  great  danger.  Finally  we  arrived  at  a 
small  level  spot  with  some  grass  on  it  and  halted  for  the 
noon  hour.  After  the  meal,  while  we  were  waiting  for 
our  horses  to  feed,  one  gentleman  appioached  another 
and  said: 

"I  do  not  see  what  this  part  of  the  world  was  made 
for.     It  certainly  is  of  no  use  whatever." 

"You  are  a  very  foolish  man."  said  the  other,  "there 
would  be  a  tremendous  hole  in  the  world  were  it  not  for 
this  country  that  you  regard  as  worthless,  and  you  might 
have  to  travel  several  hundred  miles  to  get   around   it, 


SCENES     OF     EARLIER     DAYS.  vi3 

but  now  3'ou  can  get  over  it  by  going  a  few  miles,  biirap- 
a-ta-buinp  over  the  rocks.  I  perfer  it  just  as  it  is  for 
iny  part  without  any  anu'iidiuents." 

One  day  while  traveling  on  the  south  side  of  the  river 
we  encountered  immense  swarms  of  black  nats  and 
niosijuitoes  and  it  was  very  difficult  to  tnll  which  bit  the 
>vor8t.  Sometimes  we  thought  it  was  one  and  then  we 
would  conclude  it  must  be  the  other.  One  thing  sure 
they  both  bit  until  our  faces  were  so  swollen  we  could 
scarcely  see.  That  night  we  canjped  on  the  river  Iwttoni 
and  after  we  had  begun  to  eat,  a  small  cloud  came  Hoat- 
ing  by  with<a  slight  sprinkle  of  rain  and  a  very  sudden 
gust  of  wind.  In  a  moment  after  this  all  passed  by, 
our  gnats  and  mosquitoes  were  gone  to  some  other 
country,  * 'seeking  whom  they  might  devour"  there. 
But,  horrible  to  relate,  we  looked  at  our  victuals,  for  the 
wind  came  on  so  suddenly  we  had  no  time  to  cover  them. 
and  they  were  filled  with  gray  sund  until  it  was  difficult 
to  tell  what  they  were.  We  did  not  dare  to  throw  them 
away  for  there  was  no  chance  to  purchase  any  more  so 
we  cleansed  them  as  best  we  could  and  ate  them  while 
the  sand  gritted  between  our  teeth. 

The  country  below  this  began  to  show  signs  of  im- 
provement, the  hillri  were  lower  and  not  so  rocky  and 
the  grass  was  more  abundant.  With  the  improved 
country  there  began  to  be  more  fresh  Indian 
signs  and  by  consulting  our  guide  paper  it  told 
us  to  look  out  for  the  treacherous  Snakes.  One  night 
we  camped  on  Salmon  creek  where  there  was  excellent 
grass.  When  night  began  to  approach  we  found,  as  the 
creek  here  formed  a  horse  shoe  in  shape,  that  we   could 


34  SCENES    OF     EARLIEK    DAYS. 


put  our  waggons  across  the  open  part  of  the  shoe  and  our 
horses  between  them  and  the  creek  and  station  a  strong- 
guard  at  the  ford,  which  was  at  the  extreme  bend  of  the 
shoe  and  the  only  place  where  an  Indian  could  take  a 
horse  over  the  stream,  that  we  would  be  comparative!}^ 
safe.  After  this  was  all  done  and  darkness  came  on  we 
heard  what  we  at  first  thought  were  wolves,  first  on  one 
hill  top  and  then  on  another,  but  as  we  had  not  seen  a 
wolf  for  several  hundred  miles  we  concluded  it  was 
the  Indians  giving  the  signal  that  it  was  a  good  night  to 
do  some  stealing  from  the  emigrants.  We  placed  out  a 
strong  guard,  changing  it  at  midnight,  placeing  one 
man  at  the  ford  of  the  creek.  The  next  morning  the 
best  animal  in  the  train  was  missing  and  when  we  came 
to  examine  the  ford  the  horse  tracks  w^ere  plainly  seen. 
The  men  who  kept  guard  at  the  ford  were  called  and  the 
one  who  stood  guard  the  first  part  of  the  night  said  all 
was  right  when  he  retired,  while  the  one  who  guarded 
the  after  part  of  the  ni^'-ht  said  he  got  tired  guarding  the 
ford  and  concluded  there  was  no  danger  and  went  and 
lay  down  by  his  own  animal.  He  acknowledged  that  he 
saw  a  horse  cross  the  stream  but  no  one  was  leading  it 
and  it  would  soon  be  found.  The  opposite  side  was  ex- 
amined and  soon  a  moccasin  track  was  seen  and  also  the 
place  where  he  had  mounted  the  animal  and  left  for 
parts  unknown.  A  council  was  immediately  called  and 
some  of  the  men  were  breathing  out  threatenings  against 
the  man  who  said  he  saw  the  horse  cross  the  ford,  for 
his  own  acknowledgement  showed  him  a  miserable  cow- 
ard. Instead  of  guarding  where  he  was  placed  he  went 
away  some  distance  leaving  the  ford  exposed,  which  was 


SCENES    OF     EARUEK    DAYS,  o6 

the  important  place  to  be  guarded.  Some  wanted  to  ex- 
pell  him  from  the  i-ompany,  while  others  thought  if  he 
was  expelled  the  Indians  would  soon  dispatch  him, 

CHAP'Ii  i;  \. 

'J'he  question  to  be  settled  was,  shall  we  let  the  Indian 
keep  the  liorse  or  shall  we  try  to  find  it  and  take  it  from 
bimV  The  conclusion  was  to  let  the  train  remain  in 
camp  at  least  a  few  hours  and  some  men  go  out  in  search 
of  the  stolen  animal.  The  next  question  was,  who  will 
go?  Volunteers  were  called  for.  The  owner  of  the 
stolen  animal  said  he  would  go  for  one.  I  said  I  would 
go,  and  then  three  more  volunteerad,  making  a  company 
of  five.  But  amon^'  the  volunteers  the  one  who  failed 
to  guard  the  ford  was  not  one  of  them  for  he  prefered 
evidently  to  stay  where  there  was  more  company.  Enough 
had  to  be  left  to  guard  the  women  and  children  and 
horses  and  see  that  no  more  mischief  was  done  while  we 
were  gone. 

In  the  company  which  went  out  to  search  was  one 
young  man  from  the  state  of  Maine  with  whom  I  had 
become  quite  intimate  by  acquaintance,  as  we  had  often 
stood  guard  together  and  conversed  on  various  subjectn 
and  occasionally  on  the  subject  of  religion.  I  had  often 
urged  him  to  be  prepared  for  the  world  to  come  as  none 
of  us  knew  at  what  moment  an  Indian  might  put  a  ball 
or  an  arrow  through  us.  He  swore  he  was  not  afraid  of 
all  the  red  skins  from  the  Missouri  river  to  the  Willa- 
mette valley,  and  that  if  they  killed  him  he  would  be  safe 
anyway,  for  all  men  were  sure  at  least  to  be  saved.     He 


36  SCENES     OF     EAKLIER     DAYS. 


seemed  very  strong  in  that  belief  and  I  asked  him  if  he 
did  not  think  he  would  weaken  if  he  thought  he  was 
going  to  die. 

"Oh,  no,  sir,  you  will  not  find  me  such  a  coward  as 
that  when  the  test  comes. " 

That  morning  the  searching  party  ate  a  very  light 
breakfast  and  were  soon  off  on  the  chase  and  as  we  did 
not  expect  to  be  gone  long  we  did  not  take  even  a  can- 
teen of  water  with  us.  After  crossing  the  creek  we  only 
went  a  short  distance  until  we  found  where  the  Indian 
with  his  stolen  property  commenced  ascending  a  hill. 
We  followed  on  and  soon  found  that  in  order  to  ascend 
the  steep  hill  the  Indian  had  gone  up  that  we  must 
travel  zig-zag  as  he  had  done.  We  did  this  and  yet  it 
seemed  as  though  we  would  never  get  to  the  summit, 
but  after  awhile  we  found  that  we  were  at  the  top  of  the 
hill  and  here  we  halted  for  a  breathing  spell.  The  view 
from  the  summit  was  a  grand  one,  giander  than  I  can 
describe.  North  of  us  as  well  as  south  of  us  were  moun- 
tains piled  on  mountains,  until  they  reached  into  the 
clouds,  covered  with  timber.  East  of  us  we  could trac* 
the  serpentine  course  of  Snake  river  as  well  as  west  of 
us.  At  the  foot  of  the  hill  and  near  the  confluence  of 
Salmon  creek  with  Snake  river  our  tents  and  wagons 
could  be  plainly  seen  glistering  in  the  morning  sun. 
We  found  we  were  on  a  very  high  ridge  and  that  the 
tracks  of  the  stolen  animal  were  still  pressing  south- 
ward. All  the  time  we  were  looking  in  all  directions 
for  the  Indian. 

The  morning  was  all  that  heart  could  wish  save  it  was 
a  little  warm.     Every  thing  about  us,    even   the   fresh 


^t  "--\ 


\% 


{ 


K 


Chased  by  biilTaloH. — page  15. 


^8  SCESTES"    OF    EARLrEK    DATS". 


tracks  of  the  horse  that  was  stolen,  seemed  to  indicate 
that  we  were  going  to  be  successful  in  the  chase.  Our 
hopes  were  firm  and  buoyant  and  seemed  to  float  high 
above  all  obstacles.  Tliree  of  us  then  were  young  men 
not  more  than  twenty-three  or  four  years  of  age  and  the 
other  two  about  thirty -five  or  forty.  We  followed  on  up 
this  divide  until  we  came  to  a  place  where  the  ,  ndiant 
had  halted  and  cooked  his  breakfast.  After  an  exami- 
nation we  found  the  fire  was  still  burning  slowly  and 
this  led  us  to  believe  we  were  getting  very  near  him_ 
While  we  halted  at  this  fire  the  dusky  thief  came  in 
sight,  not  more  than  a  half  mile  from  us.  This  ani- 
mated greatly  the  three  youngest  of  us  and  away  we 
w^ent  as  fast  as  our  horses  could  run.  The  two  older 
ones  were  more  cautious  and  called  out  to  us,  "boys,, 
look  out  and  do  not  venture  too  far  ahead."  We 
had  a  hard  chase  for  a  mile  or  two  and  at  last  Indian 
and  horse  both  disappeared,  but  the  tracks  were  plainly 
to  be  seen.  The  young  man  from  Maine  was  the  leader. 
Finally  we  came  to  another  canyon  coming  into  that  of 
Salmon  creek  at  right  angles  and  as  we  turned  up  the 
west  canyon,  still  following  the  tracks,  our  leader  said, 
"here  are  the  tracks,  boys."  Just  then  there  was  the 
report  of  a  rifle  and  he  exclaimed,  "I  am  killed  1" 


CHAPTER  XI. 


I  hear^  the  report  of  a  rifle  and  for  a  moment  supposed 
that  he  had  shot  at  an  Indian,  but  when  I  looked  for  the 
smoke  from  the  gun  I  saw  it  was  near  a  large  rock  and 
some  distance  below  us.      He   was   still   on   his  horse. 


8CBNX8  OF  BARLIBR  DATS,  39 

holding  his  rifle,  when  he  called  out  he  was  shot  and 
killed.  We  asked  him  to  go  towards  camp  and 
we  would  try  to  secure  the  Indian.  We  dismounted 
and  went  near  the  edge  of  the  canyon  trying  to  get  a 
shot  at  the  Indian  who  had  wounded  our  fellow  traveler. 
There  was  no  human  being  in  sight  anywh  re,  save  an 
Indian  on  horseback  galloping  off  towards  the  moun- 
tains  to  the  south.  We  were  satisfied  he  was  not  the 
one  who  had  done  the  mischief,  for  there  was  not  time 
enough  since  the  report  of  tbe  rifle. 

Our  fiiend  managed  to  get  about  200  yards 
towards  camp  and  got  off  at  the  foot  of  a  hill  and  after 
di>mouutiu>,'  he  fell  over  and  we  supposed  he  was  dead. 
Our  search  for  the  Indian  having  proved  fruitless  we 
directed  our  steps  toward  the  wounded  man.  Just  as 
we  came  up  where  he  was  the  two  men  we  had  left  be- 
hind came  riding  up.  He  was  bleeding  profusely  and 
we  hastened  to  remove  his  clothing  and  make  an  exami- 
nation. We  soon  found  the  ball  had  entered  the  body 
on  the  right  side  between  the  two  first  ribs  and  had 
passed  entirely  through,  coming  out  between  the  same 
ri1)s  on  the  opposite  side.  We  turned  him  on  his  back 
and  the  blood  would  spurt  out  some  distance  from  the 
body  and  then  we  would  turn  him  over  when  it  would 
do  the  same.  We  at  once  decided  that  one  man  should 
go  to  camp,  some  twelve  miles  distant,  and  give  the 
alarm  and  secure  help.  He  made  the  trip  in  safety  and 
when  he  arrived  there  was  intense  excitement  and  many 
wondered  whether  we  would  not  all  be  killed.  From 
the  time  the  help  left  the  camp  until  their  return  were 
hours  of  gloom  and  many  wished  we  had  let  the  Indian 


40  SCENES    OF    EARLIER    DAYS, 


keep  the  horse  without  any  effort  on  our  part  and  have 
traveled  on  our  westward  journey.  We  could  better 
things  immensely  sometimes  if  we  could  see  ahead  as  far 
as  we  can  see  back  after  the  deed  is  done. 

After  our  messenger  had  left  for  camp  the  wounded 
ma)i  began  to  call  for  water,  declaring  he  must  have  it 
or  he  would  soon  be  dead.  To  add  to  his  greater  misery 
the  sun  poured  down  its  heat  with  terrible  force  and  we 
had  no  means  of  shelter.  Not  a  bunch  of  willows  or  a. 
patch  of  brush  any  where  near  us  out  of  which  we  could 
construct  a  shade.  The  question  was:  ho  a  can  we  ob- 
tain water?  When  we  left  camp  we  only  expected  to  be 
gone  a  short  time  and  did  not  take  our  canteens.  We 
commenced  then  to  examine  our  boots  and  out  of  all  of 
them  there  was  only  one  of  mine  found  without  holes.  I 
soon  pulled  it  off  and  Mr.  Strong,  the  owner  of  the 
stolen  animal,  started  to  find  water.  This  only  left  two 
of  us  to  care  fpr  the  one  in  distress,  and  the  one  left 
with  me  said  he  could  not  stand  the  sight  of  blood  and 
went  off  so  far  that  he  knew  an  Indian  could  not  reach 
him  either  with  a  rifle  ball  or  an  arrow.  I  tried  to  get 
him  to  go  to  the  top  of  the  hill  at  the  foot  of  which  ^\e 
were  located  and  stand  guard,  but  no,  he  was  not  willing 
to  go  there  and  watch. 

While  he  was  absent  and  the  other  gone  for  water, 
Mr.  H.  said,  'pray  forme  Parson,  I  am  afraid  i  am 
going  to  die  and  if  I  do  1  am  a  lost  man." 

Said  I,  "why  pray  for  you  if  everybody  is  going  to  be 
saved." 

With  a  deep  tone  of  anguish  in  his  voice  he  called  out. 
*'Do  pray  for  me.     Universalism  will  do  to  live  with  but 


SCENES    OF     EARLIER    DAYS.  41 


I  find  it  will  not  do  to  die  with  Oh,  luy  dear  friend, 
l)rny  for  me  before  1  am  gone  for  1  cannot  live  much 
longer." 

I  turned  mv  face  towards  the  top  of  the  hill  and  witli 
eyes  wide  open  and  watjohing  for  Indians  (for  I  expected 
everj'  moment  we  would  be  shot)  I  prayed  for  him  as 
best  I  could. 

After  the  prayer  closed,  he  cried  out,  "Oh,  Mother, 
Mother,  I  want  to  see  you." 

Said  I,  "your  Mother  is  in  the  State  of  Maine." 

"Then,"  siiid  he,  "let  me  see  my  brother's  wife  before 
I  die." 

"You  shall,  if  you  will  only  live  a  few  hours  and  we 
can  get  you  where  she  is." 

He  said,  with  a  deep  pleading  look  in  his  eyes,  ** Par- 
son, you  had  better  leave  me,  for  I  am  bound  to  die  and 
you  have  a  family  to  care  for  and  I  have  none." 

"My  friend,"  said  I,  "as  long  as  their  is  breath  in 
your  body  I  will  not  leave  ymi.  f.  r  if  we  must  perish  we 
will  perish  side  by  side." 

The  idea  of  intense  thirst  again  seized  him  and  he  said, 
"Will  that  man  never  come  with  water?  Oh,  water, 
water,  or  I  die." 

After  awhile  Mr.  Strong  returned  and  told  us  that  he 
went  down  into  the  canyon  about  500  feet  with  great 
difficulty,  when  he  came  to  a  scjuare  offset  of  at  least  500 
feet  more  and  came  near  plun^inpf  headlong  over  the 
precipice  and  that  if  it  had  not  been  for  a  small  bush  he 
would  have  made  the  fatal  plunge.  But  he  made  his 
way  out  and  to  us  in  safety. 

•'What  shall  we  do,"  said  he,  "if   he   does    not   have 


42  SCEKES     OF     EARLIER    I>AyS 


water  soon  he  will  be  dead," 

In  the  forenoon,  as  we  rounded  the  elbow  of  the  can- 
yon, I  had  noticed  an  Indian  trail  leading  down  towards 
camp  and  I  thought  he  might  possibly  find  water  by 
following  it.  He  went  and  returned  after  a  little  while 
with  hardly  a  half  boot  full  of  water,  as  it  had  leaked 
out.  The  wounded  man  drank  heartily  of  it  but  it  made 
him  sick  and  he  commenced  to  vomit,  and  the  blood  to 
spurt  from  both  sides  of  his  body.  Fearing  he  would 
bleed  to  death  we  bandaged  him  with  some  pocket  hand- 
kerchiefs, when,  almost  instantly  he  went  into  spasms 
and  we  had  to  remove  them.  1  got  one  sup  of  water 
from  the  first  that  was  brought  in  the  boot  that  I  had 
worn  from  the  states  and  I  really  (as  inconsistent  as  it 
may  seem)  thought  it  was  the  best  water  I  had  ever 
tasted.  Water  was  brought  the  second  time  and  it 
seemed  to  greatly  relieve  thft  sufferer. 

CHAPTER  XII. 

It  was  about  noon  when  our  messenger  started  for 
camp,  and,  as  he  had  to  travel  twenty  or  twent^^-five 
miles  on  a  poor  animal,  we  knew  he  would  not  return 
with  the  help  until  it  would  be  very  late  in  the  after- 
noon, if  not  night.  After  consulting  about  the  matter 
we  concluded  we  had  better  start  for  camp  and  meet 
them  on  the  way,  as  the  flow  of  blood  had  almost  ceased 
and  he  seemed  much  easier.  Late  in  the  afternoon  we 
lashed  our  guns  to  my  Indian  pony,  which  was  to  be 
led,  together  with  the  wounded  man's  horse,  by  one 
man,  while  the  other  man  led  the  horse  on  which  Mr.  H. 


SCKMBS  OF  KART.TKR  DATS.  43 


rode  and  I  got  on  behind  bini  so  as  to  hold  him  in  the 
saddle,  as  it  was  an  American  one  without  any  horn  that 
he  could  hold  to.  1  had  neither  stirrups  nor  a  blanket 
a  d  I  did  not  dare  to  let  go  my  hold  of  him  for  fear  he 
would  fall  from  the  horse  1  i-ode  that  entire  distance 
without  dismounting  or  even  relaxing  my  hold  on  him 
for  a  single  moment.  We  concluded  as  the  safest  plan 
to  follow  an  Indian  trail  as  it  was  likely  to  pass  over  the 
best  and  easiest  route.  In  places  the  trail  was  very 
rocky  and  every  time  the  animal  would  make  a  blunder, 
and  that  was  quite  frequently,  he  would  call  out  or  then 
groan,  it  seemed  to  me  as  loud  as  he  could,  and  I  would 
beg  him  to  remain  quiet  if  jmssible  for  fear  the  Indians 
might  hear  the  noise  and  attack  us  and  we  could  not 
defend  ourselves  as  all  our  fire  arms  were  fast.  We  had 
not  gone  half  the  distunce  to  camp  when  night  overtook 
us  with  nothing  but  starlight  and  it  verj'  dark.  We 
missed  the  help  sent  out  for  uh  and  made  our  way  as 
l>est  we  could  over  hills  and  around  them  and  through 
dark  canyons  one  after  another.  At  last  when  we  began 
to  be  very  tired  and  wondering  if  we  were  not  lost,  Mr. 
Strong  called  out,  *'here  is  our  camp  just  ahead  of  us.  I 
seethe  lights."  We  arrived  about  11  o'clock,  tired,  anx- 
ious and  hungr>%  not  having  a  mouthful  to  eat  since 
early  in  the  morning.  I  never  entered  any  place  with  a 
more  thankful  heart  in  my  life  than  I  did  my  tent  in  the 
wilderness  that  night.  Thankful  that  none  of  our  party 
had  been  killed  and  that  although  I  was  in  a  few  feet  of 
Mr.  H.  when  the  Indian  shot  him,  yet  the  ball  did  not 
penetrate  my  body. 

When  those  who  went  out  to  meet  us  found  we  were 


^4  SCENES^    OF    EARLEEK    IMT» 


gone  and  they  had  nat  found  u&  by  the  way,  tliey  con- 
cluded, as  they  still  had  some  daylight  to  spare,  that 
they  would  follow  the  tracks  of  the  stolen  animal  and 
find  the  place  where  the  Indian  had  done  the  shooting. 
They  went  up  the  west  canyon  some  distance  above 
where  we  had  gone  and  found  a  trail  with  the  tracks  of 
a  shod  horse  leading  down  into  it,  and  soon  found  a 
large,  natural  barn,  large  enough  to  hold  at  least,  so 
they  thought,  forty  head  of  horses  Here  he  had  fast- 
ened the  animal  and  went  out  some  distance  above  until 
he  came  to  another  rock  with  a  hole  in  it  large  enough 
for  a  rifle  and  to  take  sight  and  there  he  fired  what  he 
thought  was  a  deadly  shot.  Why  he  did  not  remain  be- 
hind his  fort  and  continue  to  shoot  the  rest  of  us  we 
never  knew.  It  was  about  2  o'clock  in  the  morning 
when  they  returned.  We  were  all  glad  to  be  together 
once  more,  even  with  the  sore  experience  of  the  day. 

The  day  we  were  out  on  the  hunt  for  the  stolen  horse 
an  ox  train  came  along  late  in  the  afternoon  and  an  old 
gentleman  and  his  partner,  the  one  who  had  failed  to 
guard  the  ford,  concluded  they  would  go  with  them  and 
wait  next  morning  for  our  arrival.  That  night  the  In- 
dians stole  one  of  their  horses  and  they  had  to  remain 
where  they  were  as  the  ox  train  had  no  special  interest 
in  them  and  they  expected  us  along  soon.  They  waited 
until  near  noon,  when  the  one  who  had  stood  such  poor 
guard  came  back  to  see  what  had  become  of  us  and  to 
procure  help  to  bring  his  partner  and  wagon  to  us. 
After  he  had  been  gone  some  time  and  the  old  gentleman 
left  alone  to  guard  his  property,  mad  at  the  Indians  and 
chaffing  under  his  loss,  resolved  that  he  would  kill   the 


Uiver  issuing  from  a  wall  of  solid  rock. — page  26. 


46  SCENES     or     EARLIER     DAYS. 


first  Indian  he  saw.  They  were  camped  near  Salmon 
Falls  and  he  soon  saw  an  Indian  seat  himself  on  a  rock 
and  commence  to  spear  the  Salmon  which  were  then 
running  up  the  river.  He  placed  himself  behind  a  rock, 
leveled  his  gun  at  the  Indian's  breast  and  fired,  killing 
him  instantly  as  he  tumbled  into  the  river.  Then  it  was 
that  he  began  to  think  very  seriously  over  what  he  had 
done,  and  as  a  "guilty  conscience  needs  no  accuser,"  he 
became  very  uneasy  and  greatly  alarmed  for  fear  other 
Indians  might  have  seen  one  of  their  fellows  slain.  He 
finally  concluded  the  best  plain  was  to  get  out  of  there 
as  speedily  as  possible.  He  hitched  up  old  gray  (his 
remaining  horse)  and  then  placed  himself  on  the  other 
side  of  the  wagon  tongue  and  he  and  gray  pulled  the 
wagon  up  quite  a  hill  towards  our  camp,  when  his  part- 
ner met  him  and  brought  him  safely  in. 

We  remained  in  camp  three  days  so  as  to  relieve  the 
wounded  man  as  much  as  possible.  He  improved  all 
the  time  but  was  very  sore  and  hard  on  that  account  to 
bundle.  The  third  day  we  fixed  a  swinging  cot  to  the 
bows  of  a  spring  wagon  aijd  the  fourth  morning  we 
placed  him  in  it,  hitched  up  our  teams  a  id  journeyed 
on,  for  we  were  afraid  that  sotuething  as  bad  as  bullets 
might  overtake  us.  There  were  no  stations  by  the  way 
that  furnished  provisons  to  hungry  emigrants  and  we 
were  all  liable  to  starve  to  death  if  we  delayed  too  long. 
The  young  man  improved  steadily  but  the  swinging  of 
the  cot  and  the  jolting  of  the  wagon  brought  many  a 
hearty  grunt  or  groan  from  him.  When  we  reached  the 
Cascade  Mountains  he  seemed  as  well  as  ever  and  I  never 
heard  him  swear  but  once,  and  then  he   turned   to   me 


SCBNK8    OF    KARUSB    DATS.  47 

with  an  apology. 

I  remember  once  being  sent  for  to  visit  a  man  who 
was  thought  to  be  dying  and  he  said: 

•'Oh,  Parson,  if  I  ever  get  over  this  I  will  be  a  better 
man." 

"If  you  get  over  it,"  I  said  "you  will  forget  this 
promise  and  be  as  bad  or  worse  than  before." 

He  got  over  it  and  went  to  keeping  saloon  and  I  con- 
cluded he  was  not  bettering  much. 

Having  spoken  of  what  become  of  the  wounded  man 
and  how  he  prospered,  I  will  now  return  to  the  thread 
of  my  storj'.  After  we  left  our  camp  at  Salmon  Creek 
the  scenes  and  intense  excitement  of  the  past  week  began 
gradually  to  subside.  K  very  thing  moved  along  smoothly 
without  any  more  interruptions  from  the  Indians,  but 
we  were  by  no  means  asleep  and  heedless  of  our  danger 
and  that  we  were  still  in  an  enemy's  country.  But  be- 
fore I  speak  further  of  our  onward  march  I  want  to  re- 
bite  a  scene  which  transpired  on  the  north  side  of  Snake 
river,  about  fifty  miles  above  Fort  Boise,  the  place  where 
Boise  City,  the  capitol  of  Idaho,  is  now  located.  Here 
occured  one  of  the  most  brutal  mascacres  that  ever  took 
place  on  the  American  continent.  I  do  not  mean  in  the 
^reat  number  killed  but  the  manner  in  which  the  fiends 
accomplished  their  purpose.  It  was  so  inhuman  that  no 
writer  or  historian  ever  dared  to  tell  how  it  was  done 
and  had  it  not  been  for  those  who  came  on  after  them  it 
never  would  have  been  told. 

An  emigrant  train  was  moving  along  quitely,  not  sus- 
pecting that  any  danger  was  near,  when  all  of  a  sudden 
th*^  sfivjiLre  yell  was  heard,  striking  terror  to  every  heart, 


48  SCENES    OF    EAKLIEfi    HATS', 


and  well  it  might,  for  out  of  the  entire  company  only 
two  boys  were  left  as  snrTivors  of  the  scene  of  that  day. 
Heaven  looked  down  in  pity  on  this  company  as  the  dy- 
ing^Toana  of  the  sviiferers  ascended.  To  fully  accom- 
lish  their  brutal  work  they  burned  the  wagons,  and  then 
used  the  iron  rods  to  burn  their  victims  into  insensibility. 
The  two  lads  who  were  saved,  one,  I  thiuk,  was  about 
twelve  years  old  and  the  other  fourteen.  When  the 
work  of  death  begun  the  youngest  boy  stole  away  and 
hid  in  some  tall  grass  some  distance  from  the  scene. 
The  other  lad  was  pierced  through  the  body  with  an 
arrow,  and,  it  is  supposed,  the  Indians  left  him  for 
dead. 

After  the  Indians  had  accomplished  their  deadly  work 
and  had  taken  the  stock  and  left  the  scene,  the  smaller 
boy  heard  the  sound  of  a  passing  horse  and  very  cautious- 
ly raising  himself  he  peeped  out  from  his  hiding  place, 
■when  to  his  joy  he  saw  that  it  w{,8  a  w^hite  man.  He 
immediately  ran  to  him  and  was  lifted  up  behind  him 
and  carried  to  a  place  of  safety.  When  this  lone  rider 
saw  what  had  been  done  he  passed  the  scene  in  a  hurry 
and  did  not  see  the  boy  with  the  arrow  in  his  body. 
After  awhile  the  one  pierced  with  an  arrow  came  to  him- 
self, although  somewhat  dazed,  and  found  that  he  could 
travel  and  made  bis  way  to  Fort  Boise,  fifty  miles  dis- 
tant, where  an  English  surgeon,  who  had  examined 
him,  found  that  the  arrow  was  showing  itself  on  both 
sides  of  his  body.  He  extracted  it  and  took  care  of  him 
until  he  was  able  to  travel  and  then  sent  him  on  to  Ore- 
gon. 

Joe  Lane,  who,  I  believe  was  then  the  Territorial  Gov- 


SCENES    OF    EARUEB    DATS.  40 


ernor  of  Oregon,  made  the  lad  a  present  oi  a  thousand 
dollars,  so  as  to  assist  him  in  getting  ati  education. 
When  1  saw  him  a  year  or  two  after  this  he  seemed  well 
and  strong.  I  understood  that  he  and  his  brother 
vowed  vengeance  on  the  Snake  Indians  and  determined 
to  kill  everj-  one  they  could.  But  whether  they  ever 
went  into  that  country    again  I  never  learned. 

Now  I  must  ask  the  privilege  of  returning  the  second 
time  to  my  story  and  will  try  to  stick  to  it  a  little  closer 
than  I  have  done  during  the  first  of  this  chapter.  We 
bad  two  brothers  with  us  who  failed  to  agree  very  well 
with  our  captain  and  they  concluded  to  travel  and  camp 
alone,  but  it  was  veiy  plainly  to  be  seen  they  had  no  in- 
tention of  getting  far  from  us  for  fear  they  might  get 
into  trouble  with  the  Indians.  They  traveled  and 
cam|)eil  near  us  for  some  tinje  but  no  difficulty  occured 
to  mar  either  their  or  our  peace. 

When  we  arrived  on  the  summit  overlooking  the  Mai 
heur  river  we  say  in  the  valley  a  large  circular  fire  and 
the  Indians  killing  and  eating  grasshoppers  and  crickets 
for  supper,  but  as  we  did  not  relish  that  kind  of  "grub" 
we  did  not  apply  for  any;  in  fact  it  was  only  a  few 
moments  after  they  saw  us  until  the  fires  were  all  out 
and  not  an  Indian  to  \ye  seen.  Naturally,  when  Indians 
were  so  wild  they  would  not  visit  our  camp,  we  thought 
they  meant  mischief.  We  camped  below  the  ford  of  the 
river  and  the  two  brothers  camped  still  lower  down. 
Just  at  dark  we  heard  the  sound  of  wolves  again;  just 
such  a  sound  as  we  heard  the  night  before  Mr.  H.  was 
shot  on  Salmon  creek,  and  we  knew  that  we  must  be 
cautious  again.     We  stationed  guards  in  our  part  of  the 


50  SCENES    OF     EARLIER     DAYS, 


company  and  one  of  the  brothers  stood  guard  for  I  hem. 
Along  towards  midnight  the  sharp  report  of  a  rifle  was 
heard  and  the  whole  camp  was  aroused  from  their  slum- 
bers. An  Indian  had  sneaked  to  our  portion  of  the 
camp  and  had  stolen  our  best  horse,  and  by  some  means 
had  passed  our  guard  and  was  trying  to  pass  the  guard 
of  the  other  camp.  The  lower  guard  called  to  the  horse, 
as  he  saw  him  moving  off,  "whoa,  there!  whoa  there!" 
Instead  of  stopping,  the  animal  went  faster  and  this 
caused  the  Indian  to  straighten  himself  on  the  horse. 
As  he  did  so  the  guard  fired  and  the  Indian  concluded 
it  was  rather  close  range  and  jumped  from  the  horse  and 
•went  down  an  embankment  at  least  twenty  feet.  The 
next  morning  we  saw  where  he  had  made  his  leap,  but 
there  was  no  sign  of  blood,  but  his  tracks  showed  plain 
enough  that  he  left  there  in  a  great  hurry. 

On  the  bank  of  this  stream,  and  not  far  from  the 
crossing,  were  two  springs  not  more  than  three  feet 
apart.  One  was  nice,  cold  water  to  drink  and  the  other 
would  scorch  a  bucksin  cracker  in  a  second. 

The  bottom  land  on  this  river  seemed  to  be  very  good, 
but  where  timber  could  be  got  for  fencing  and  firewood 
is  more  than  I  could  tell,  for  there  was  none  nearer  than 
the  mountains  and  they  were  a  <^reat  many  miles  away. 

Not  many  days  after  leaving  the  Malheur  river,  five 
young  men  of  our  company  concluded  we  were  not . 
traveling  fast  enough  to  suit  them,  as  they  seemed  in  a 
great  hurry  to  reach  western  Oregon.  They  went  to 
Snake  river  and  bought  a  canoe  of  the  Indians,  for  we 
were  then  in  the  borders  of  another  tribe  who  were 
friendly,  and  three  of  them  with  the  larger  share  of  their 


SCENES    OF     EARLIER     IjAYS.  51 


baggage  got  ill  tlic  vcs-i'l  ami  staitt-d  (l«»,n  towaid  tlic 
Colujubia  rivt-r,  whil*-  thf  (♦lla-r  tsv..  Io(»k  tht-  hoist's  atul 
followed  th*^  emigrant    k.kI.     One  of  those  who    went 

ill  the  c  moo  had  been  v«  rv  sick  on  tlic  joinnoy  and  f  had 
t.kt'ii  him  in  and  liaiilcd  hiiii  iikut  tlian  'JOO  niih'S.  while 
I  went  ifnot.  and  tlie  Imi-  iin  w  a^  th  it  I  sIkmIiI  ha\»'  hi- 
liorsf  t"  work  with  iniiif  '<\(r  tlif  raML;fs  (.f  iu<t,i  n  t  iiii- 
W<'  had  \(t  to  pass,  so  that  m_v  faiiiilv  wiuild  iH»t  ha\f  t^ 
walk.  When  he  was  aUtnt  t<>  -tart  I'm  the  ri\ci'  that 
'■  "'"'ii'j  I  k;iidl\  .  hut  \(iv  tiniilv.  i('imiidc(l  him  of  lii> 
•i  and  f..ld  liiiii  1  thoiii^ht  he  w  a->  doiiiL;  me  and  m\ 
I'amilv  a  ^it  at  m  jii-~!i<f.  wlicn  we  had  hcljtcil  him  din- 
inir  his  sickin--  II.  irkhdwh'dL'cd  lii-  .•(.ntiact  witii 
im-  in  thf  pi.-.  I;.-.  Mf  Mi-  Str-Miij  ,.f  Mi.-hijaii.  but  said 
*'l  am  dett'iJiii'  ami   t  ik.     my    Iku-.     with    m<\" 

Mr.  S.  said.  "I  :  h.cm  pi'.^prr   in    .{(.mil;-  wi-on- 

let  him  <,^<«  an.l  1  will  s.-c  vdii  -iN  into  th.'  W'lllam.tti 
\all»;\  .'■  'I'll  1-  is  the  same  mm  \\  ho  laihd  to  -taml  guard 
at  the  \<>-,\  :.f  Salmon  r-rck  and  was  \iitiiall\  the  cause 
of  ^I '     il  \\h. Ml  the  two  111. 11  who  had  gone 

on  \Mlii  til.  i!Mi-.  -  ariivt'd  at  the  ford  of  tin-  Dcsclnitcs 
riv.r  they  h.aid  that  the  lx)dics  <.f  thr.M'  white  men  had 
b..nh.iindat  th.  month  ami  \s  hen  tli.\  in  \  .-t  i-ited 
the\  fonn.j  them  to  Ije  the  lK)diert  of  tlieir  t  hiee  .(inij.aii 
ion>  w  h(»  liad  attempted  the  navigation  of  stran;^.'  streams 
to  them.  Before  we  reach,  d  T.  nut  ri\.r  I  found  so  far 
as  I  was  concerned  thero  was  another  very  serious  trouble 
ahead.  We  wer.  without  meat  and  had  very  little  flour 
Irft.  None  in  oin-  train  liad  any  provisions  to  spare  but 
expected  they  uuuKl  have  to  buy  for  themselves.  My 
friend,  who  had  promised  to  see  me  safe  through,  said,  , 


52  SCENES    OF    EARLIER    DAYS. 


* 'Parson,  I  will  divide  with  you  as  long  as  I  can  if  you 
cannot  buy  any."  I  told  him  if  he  would  lend  me  some 
money,  for  I  had  spent  all  mine  crossing  some  ferries, 
that  I  would  go  ahead  and  see  if  provisions  could  not  be 
bought  of  other  emigrant  trains.  It  so  happened  that 
on  that  same  day  I  heard  of  a  Baptist  minister  who  had 
some  meat  to  sell. 

In  traveling  on  we  found  him  camped  not  far  from 
the  road  down  towards  the  river.  When  I  approached 
him  I  told  what  I  wanted  and  his  reply  was,  "you  can 
have  what  you  wish."  I  asked  the  price  and  he  said  he 
thought  it  ought  to  be  worth  ten  cents  a  pound,  as  that 
was  what  he  paid  for  it  in  Indiana,  and  after  hauling  it 
that  far  he  ought  to  have  as  much  as  that.  He  could 
not  and  would  not  be  hard  on  poor  emigrants  like  him- 
self. 1  bought  what  I  thought  would  last  beyond  the 
Cascade  Mountains  into  civilization  and  several  others 
did  the  same. 

After  we  all  arrived  in  Oregon  I  formed  his  acquaint- 
ance again  and  found  him  a  consistent  christian  gentle- 
man. His  name  was  Chandler  and  he  was  the  only 
man  I  ever  talked  with  who  did  not  travel  more  than 
one  sabbath  on  the  plains,  and  on  that  one  he  broke  his 
wagon  pole.  One  reason  why  meat  was  so  scarce  was 
that  we  had  not  seen  a  deer  or  an  antelope  for  hundreds 
of  miles  and  we  concluded  if  there  was  any  they  must 
be  about  the  mountains. 

We  crossed  Burnt  river  and  ascended  the  divide  be- 
tween it  and  Powder  river,  passing  not  far  from  where 
Baker  city  now  stands,  not  thinking  once  that  there 
were  immense  fortunes  in  gold  in  the  earth  over  which 


^^  /^  ..x 


\ 


;  < 


^^ 


He  exclaimed,  **  I  am  killed  ! " — page  38. 


54  SCENES    OF    EAULIEK    DAT!?, 

we  were  then  traveling.  From  Powder  river  we  passed 
over  another  divide  between  it  and  Grande  Rounde 
valley  and  when  we  advanced  far  enough  to  behold  the 
valley  I  thought  it  was  the  most  beautiful  spot  I  had 
ever  seen  anywhere,  Ct-v  iverig-e  width  is  said  to  be 
twenty  miles  and  its  length  forty.  We  crossed  near  the 
upper  portion  of  the  valley  and  near  where  the  town  of 
Union  now  stands.  As  far  as  we  could  see  down  the 
valley  it  was  one  immense  field  of  red  top,  as  also  to  the 
mountains  above  us, 

Indians  sometimes  manifest  a  great  deal  of  shrewdness 
in  money-making  schemes  as  well  as  white  folks.  While 
camped  in  Grande  Rounde  valley  a  ('ay use  Indian  came 
to  us  and  said  he  had  viewed  out  and  worked  a  road 
leading  up  the  Blue  Mountains  (which  lay  on  the  west 
side  of  the  valley)  and  that  it  was  much  better  than  the 
old  road  and  that  for  fifty  cents  a  wagon  he  would  pilot 
us  through.  Some  went  with  him,  but  from  what  those 
said  who  went  the  old  road,  there  was  but  little,  if  any. 
improvement.  It  was  not  very  far  across  and  I  think 
as  good  a  mountain  road  as  I  ever  traveled.  After  pass- 
ing over  the  mountain  we  found  a  high  rolling  prarie 
country  with  but  little  timber  but  good  grass  in  abun- 
dance. 

We  finally  came  to  the  Umatilla  river  near  where  the 
town  of  Pendleton  now  is  and  camped  for  the  night. 
Before  we  had  unharnessed  our  teams  a  Cay  use  Indian 
came  riding  up  on  a  very  fine  American  animal  and  in- 
vited me  to  get  on  behind  him  and  he  would  show  me  a 
better  camping  place.  I  told  him  to  come  up  to  the 
wagon  wheel  so  I  could  get  on.     When  he  came  he  pre- 


SCENK8  OF  EARLIER  DATS.  55 


seiited  the  wrong  side  of  the  horse  to  me.  I  told  him 
to  turn  round  and  when  I  mounted  the  horse  he  laughed 
heartily  and  said,  "this  man  squaw,  this  man  squaw." 
It  is  a  fact  that  an  Indian  gets  on  his  horse  on  the  oppo- 
site side  from  the  Ameiiean  and  that  the  American  gets 
up  on  the  same  side  a  squaw  does,  and  this  was  the 
reason  why  he  called  me  "squaw."  We  rode  up  the 
river  quite  a  httle  distance  and  he  showed  me  a  most 
beautiful  place  to  camp  where  there  was  an  abundance 
of  grass.  When  we  returned  they  had  unharnessed  and 
we  tarried  for  the  night. 

CHAPTEK  Xlll. 

The  day  we  left  the  Umatilla  river  there  was  an  ox 
train  behind  us,  perhaps  three-quarters  of  a  mile,  and 
they  stampeded  in  spite  of  their  drivers.  We  heard 
them  coming  just  in  time  to  give  the  road  for  they  would 
have  ran  over  everything  in  their  way.  Their  wagons 
only  .missed  ours  a  few  inches  and  they  passed  without 
doing  us  any  harm.  No  cause  was  ever  known  for  this 
runaway  for  they  had  not  been  frightened  in  the  least. 
When  their  drivers  wantetl  them  to  travel  up  lively  after 
this  they  had  to  use  their  whips  very  often.  The  oxen 
were  very  poor  and  one  would  think  they  could  not  be 
whipped  into  a  run,  but  they  did  run  about  four  miles 
and  then  halted  of  their  own  accord  as  though  nothing 
had  happened.  In  all  the  stampedes  with  oxen  1  ever 
knew  of  they  always  kept  the  road  and  nothing,  it  would 
seem,  could  induce  them  to  leave  it.  This  day  we  ate 
our  last  mouthful  of  bread,  but  I  found  two  batchelors 


fi(y  SCEWEff    OF    EARLIEK    DATS 


who  bad  plenty  of  cratckers  and  bought  what  I  thought 
would  do  us  until  we  reached  our  destination. 

We  etossed  the  Jolin  Day  river  without  any  trouble^ 
but  when  we  came  to  the  Deschutes  tbey  wanted  an  ex- 
travagant price  for  taking'  us  over  on  the  ferry.  A  Cayuse 
Indian  came  along^  and  proposed  to  take  all  our  horse» 
across  for  a  dollar.  When  the  ferryman  found  that  the 
Indian  had  contracted  with  us  for  the  horses,  he  con- 
cluded he  would  take  ns  over,  men,  women,  children 
and  wagons  for  a  dollar  a  wagon.  The  Indian  examinecJ 
all  the  horses  very  carefully  and  finally  selected  an  In- 
dian pony  of  mine  to  ride  He  told  us,  when  he  rode 
into  the  river,  to  start  the  horses  after  him  and  he  would 
land  them  all  safely  on  the  other  side.  He  started  and 
very  soon  found  his  horse  had  to  swim,  when  he 
dropped  from  its  back  and  caught  it  by  the  tail,  the 
horse  striking  out  at  quite  a  lively  gait  for  the  opposite 
shore.  All  the  others  followed  and  every  one  was  safely 
landed  as  the  Cayuse  had  promised.  One  thing  was 
very  evident,  that  the  pony  had  been  accustomed  to  such 
work  for  it  did  the  job  so  easy  and  in  a  kind  of  matter- 
of-fact  way. 

It  was  at  the  mouth  of  this  river  that  the  bodies  of 
the  three  unfortunate  young  men  were  found  who  at- 
tempted to  navigate  treacherous  waters  with  a  small 
vessel. 

After  crossing  we  did  not  have  to  go  far  until  we  came  to 
Willow  creek  and  those  who  intended  traveling  over  the 
mountains  instead  of  going  by  the  Dalles  must  follow  up 
this  stream.  Those  who  had  money  concluded  to  go  by 
the  Dalles,  for  on  this  route  they  had  to  pay   the   boats 


8CESES    OF    EARUER    DAYS.  67 


running  on  the  Columbia  river,  while  those  without 
means  decided  to  go  the  mountain  road  which  meant 
*' without  money  and  without  price."  Here,  of  course, 
our  ways  parted  and  after  we  had  said  a  kind  farewell  to 
each  other,  those  who  were  bound  for  the  mountains 
turned  to  the  left  up  the  creek  named  above  and  soon 
found  excellent  bunch  grass  for  their  teams  and  willows 
for  lire  wood.  We  heard  that  the  mountain  road  was  a 
very  hard  one  to  travel,  but  a  little  roughness,  and,  in 
fact,  a  great  deal,  had  no  terrors  any  more  for  us  for  we 
had  become  accustomed  to  such  things.  It  was  said  to 
be  eighty  miles  across  with  but  little  work  on  the  road. 
On  the  east  side  the  ascent  was  quite  gradual  and  there 
was  real  romance  in  cliuibing,  especially  after  we  came 
to  tall  timber  where  the  echo  sounded  so  loudly.  One 
lady  in  the  company,  with  a  very  stiong  voice,  then 
commenced  to  sing,  *'when  up  the  mountain  climbing 
we  will  sing  this  merry  strain.'*  It  seemed  to  do  all 
hands  good  to  hear  the  voice  of  song  in  the  wild  woods, 
MS  but  few  had  felt  like  singing  for  a  thousand  miles 
back. 

After  we  came  to  the  tall  timl>er  we  had  enough  to  try 
the  patience  of  the  most  patient.  Large  rocks  were  in 
the  road  and  the  storms  had  blown  the  trees  across  them 
and  we  had  to  fretjuently  use  handspikes  and  raise  our 
wagons  over  them,  go  a  few  rods  and  then  do  the  same 
work  over.  All  the  way  over  was  not  so  bad  as  that  1 
have  just  described,  but  sometimes  we  would  travel  sev- 
eral miles  without  much  hindrance  This  road  had  been 
view  out  by  Messrs.  Barlow,  Carver  and  Kector.  Once 
they  were  lost  and  hud  to  subsist  on  long,  slimy  snails 


68  SCENES    OF     EARLIER    DAYS. 

for  some  time,  Mr.  Eector  used  to  own  and  operate  a 
flour  mill  on  Mark  West  creek,  a  few  miles  above  Santa 
Rosa,  and  a  short  distance  above  the  road  leading  from 
Santa  Eosa  to  Healdsburg.  The  property  is  now  used 
as  a  sanitarium. 

When  fully  into  the  mountains  we  found  that  some 
one  was  traveling  on  before  us  who  had  not  lost  the  fun 
that  was  in  him.  Every  now  and  then  he  would  blaze  a 
tree  (and  take  tar  from  his  wagon]  and  write  theron 
"left  her  rip  at  such  an  hour  and  day."  We  kept  seeing 
this  sign  frequently  as  we  traveled  on  up  the  mouiitain 
over  logs  and  rocks.  Finally  we  got  up  about  the  sum 
mit  where  we  saw  the  end  gate  of  a  wagon  standing  and 
the  very  significant  sign  placed  on  it,  '  'couldn't  rip  any 
longer,  couldn't,"  and  we  looked  around  and  there  was 
his  wagon  completely  demolished  by  "ripping,"  as  he 
called  it,  over  the  rock  and  logs  so  much.  I  often 
wished  afterwards  that  I  could  find  the  man  who  wrote 
those  signs  for  I  thought  there  must  be  something  extra 
in  him  when  he  could  have  the  wear  and  tear  of  more 
than  2000  miles  travel  and  still  retain  so  much  good 
nature.  The  signs  left  by  this  man  made  us  all  feel 
better  and  assisted  us  in  over-coming  the  difficulties  by 
the  way. 

We  camped  one  night  near  the  foot  of  Mount  Hood, 
in  a  small  prairie,  and  found  good  water,  poor  grass  and 
a  cold  frosty  night,  even  if  it  was  about  the  middle  of 
August.  There  was  some  improvements  in  the  road 
from  this  place  but  still  w^e  had  to  pass  over  many  a  rock 
and  log  after  this.  We  finally  came  to  the  place  of  all 
places,  so  far  as  a  name  was  concerned,  we  had  already, 


^CE^ES    OP    KARUBK    1)AYS.  50 

many  miles  back,  passed  Ibe  DeviVs  canyon,  *ncl  now  \o 
think  after  the  long  tidioiis  jonrney  of  the  plains  an<l 
before  we  could  reach  the  home  we  had  i»i  view,  we  had 
actually  to  go  over  the  I'^evirs  Back  Bone,  It  almost 
made  us  shudder  although  we  had  been  use<l  to  hard 
names  and  hard  roads.  When  we  got  on  to  it  (that  is 
the  Devil's  Back  Bone)  we  found  the  best  wad  in  all 
the  mountain  we  had  yet  )>a8sed  over  and  concluded 
thei-e  WHS  not  much  in  a  name  after  all,  although  some 
))eople  think  there  is  a  gi-eat  deal.  It  was  a  long  divide 
l)etween  two  streams,  but  very  narrow,  with  just  rooni 
for  wagons  and  teams  to  pass.  On  either  side  thei'e  was 
inunense  can;von8  so  for  down  that  we  c!Ould  not  see 
where  they  terminated.  The  siglit  was  a  grand  one,  but 
the  road  yxyu  must  keep  or  plunge  headlong  with  self, 
family,  wagon  and  team  down,  down  towards  the  regions 
below.  I  Was  really  glad  when  we  were  safely  over  it, 
but  why  rejnice  at  this  when  greater  tiouble  by  far  was 
just  ahead  of  us  m  few  miles. 


CHAPTKR  XVI. 

We  had  been  told  by  some  men  who  had  been  over 
these  mountains  before  that  there  was  one  hill  to  go 
down  and  that  we  must  fasten  a  tree  to  the  wagon  for 
safety.  We  approached  it  with  fear  resting  on  our 
minds  but  with  a  firm  determination  that  **what  man 
has  done,  man  can  do."  When  we  came  in  sight  of  it 
I  confess  it  was  very  forbidden  as  it  seemed  almost  as 
straight  up  and  down  as  the  walls  of  a  house.  My  wife 
tried  to  ride  down  it  in  the  wagon  with  our  two  children 


60  SCENES     OF     EARLIER     DAYS. 


but  became  alarmed  for  fear  the  wagon  would  go  end 
over  end,  so  I  halted  and  helped  her  and  the  children 
out.  Then  she  started  with  them  to  decend  the  hill  one* 
in  her  arms  and  holding  the  other  by  the  hand,  when 
she  found  that  it  was  going  to  endanger  their  lives  as 
well  as  her  own  and  she  called  out  "I  cannot  go  another 
titep  without  help." 

It  was  impossibe  for  me  at  the  time  to  render  any  as- 
sistance as  I  had  all  I  could  do  to  manage  the  team.  I 
had  fastened  two  logs  to  the  hind  axle,  each  about  four- 
teen feet  long,  and  then  locked  both  hind  wheels.  These 
logs  were  about  eight  inches  through  and  I  found  it  very 
difficult  to  keep  my  feet  and  manage  the  horses.  After 
a  travel  down  hill  of  more  than  a  mile  and  a  half  I  found 
myself  at  the  foot  and  drove  the  team  out  of  the  road, 
hitched  them  and  commenced  to  ascend.  I  would  go  a 
little  distance  and  then  blow,  and  then  a  little  farther 
and  puff,  and  after  an  absence  of  almost  two  hours  I 
came  in  sight  of  my  family  all  seated  on  the  same  roc;k 
they  occupied  when  I  left  them.  We  commenced  the 
decent  and  after  many  hard  struggles  we  managed  to 
get  to  our  wagon  again  very  thankful  and  had  no  broken 
bones  to  mend  and  no  other  hill  as  bad  as  this  one  to  go 
down. 

The  streams  in  the  Cascade  Mountains  run  verj- 
swiftly  and  we  found  their  depths  very  deceiving.  We 
crossed  one  named  Zigzag  several  times  and  the  first 
time  we  crossed  it  looked  like  it  might  be  ten  inches  or  a 
foot  in  depth,  and  when  we  drove  into  it  we  found  it 
was  at  least  two  feet  deep.  Some  came  very  near  being 
drowned  at  the  first  crossing  and  were  very  willing  after 


/^ 


An  Indian  arrow  pierced  his  body. — page  48. 


fT^  SCESEH    OF     EARIIER    DAFff, 


this  ta  get  inta  the  wagan .  There  were  times  when  it 
was  even  diffic^tilt  for  the  horses  to  beep  onr  their  feet 
and  at  the  same  time  pull  the  wag-on  across.  The  rocks 
a\'er  which  the  waters  ran  so  swiftly  were  worn  a» 
smooth  as  ^lass  and  this  added  to  the  burden  of  the 
team.  We  had  five  da^^s  of  this  rough  mountain  travel 
but  without  a  single  accident,  even  if  we  did  have  to 
travel  over  the  Devil's  Back  Bone  and  down  the  worst 
hill  that  a  wagon  and  team  eN'er  went  hitched  together, 
I  have  heard  other  emigrants  tell  about  letting  their 
wagons  down  hill  by  ropes,  but  the  horses  or  cattle  were 
led  without  the  wagon.  After  crossing  Zigzag  for  the 
last  time  we  found,  not  far  away,  a  little  grass  by  the 
side  of  a  small  stream  and  concluded  we  would  camp  for 
the  night.  Gladly,  we  thought,  this  is  our  last  night  in 
these  mountains  and  our  main  troubles  will  soon  be  at 
an  end. 

We  arose  very  early  for  we  knew  from  the  description 
which  had  been  given  us  that  we  still  had  between  fifteen 
and  twenty  miles  to  go  that  day,  which  was  the  twenty- 
second  day  of  August,  1851.  When  we  came  to  break- 
fast we  found  that  we  had  enough  crackers  for  our 
children  through  the  day  by  being  very  saving  of  them 
and  that  so  far  as  we  were  concerned  we  must  make  that 
twenty  miles  on  one  cracker  and  a  cup  of  coffee.  We 
ate  it  and  started  with  a  courage  which  knew  no  such 
word  as  fail.  We  thought  it  very  poor  policy  to  give  up 
when  we  were  almost  in  sight  of  final  victory  and  yet  we 
knew  it  would  be  very  hard  work  to  travel  all  day  on 
such  a  light  breakfast.  On  and  on  we  went  over  hills 
and  hollows  as  fast  as  our  poor  team  could  take  us.     It 


SCENES  OF  EARLIER  DATS.  63 


was  real  nice  to  see  the  mountains  beginning  to  flatten 
out  and  our  road  improving  greatly  in  smoothness.  We 
knew  from  the  appearance  of  the  country  that  we  were 
nearing  Foster's  at  the  foot  of  the  mountain. 

No  one  knows  what  gladness  fills  the  soul  when  after 
traveling  and  toiling  as  long  as  we  had,  and  the  last  day 
on  empty  stomachs,  they  begin  to  see  and  know  that 
they  would  soon  be  there.  Such  joy  cannot  be  described 
and  only  those  know  of  it  who  have  passed  through 
such  scenes.  For  one  I  felt  like  saying,  *'hip,  hip, 
hurrah."  But  if  I  had  been  disposed  to  exult  and  feel 
proud  of  our  success,  pride  would  have  had  a  great 
tumble  in  a  moment's  time  when  I  thought,  "here  I  am 
2000  miles  and  more  from  home  with  a  family  to  feed 
and  nothing  to  feed  them  on  and  no  money  to  buy  any- 
thing with  but  three  bits  and  that  borrowed." 

It  is  said  that  a  peacock  struts  most  beautifully  until 
his  eyes  happen  to  light  on  his  ugly  feet  then  all  his 
feathers  fall  in  a  moment's  time.  Had  I  been  disposed 
to  feel  proud  when  I  thought  of  my  slim  purse  and  our 
poor  clothing  pride  would  have  instantly  fled. 

Finally  we  drove  up  in  front  of  a  log  cabin  where 
signs  of  plenty  could  be  seen. 


PART    SECOND. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

At  the  foot  of  the  Cascade  Mountains  I  propose  to  be- 
gfn  my  experiences  of  western  life,  for  here  I  had  my 
first  struggle.  When  we  drove  up  in  front  of  Mr.  Fos- 
ter's house  a  gentleman  came  out  to  the  front  gate  and  I 
asked  him  if  his  name  was  Foster.  He  said  it  was. 
Walking  up  near  him  I  said: 

"We  are  here  and  almost  starved,  having  traveled  all 
day  on  one  cracker  and  some  coffee,  and  now,  sir,  if  you 
will  supply  our  wants  I  will  give  you  the  last  cent  of 
money  I  have  in  the  world,  which  is  three  bits,  and  to- 
morrow I  will  work  for  you  until  you  say  you  are  fully 
paid." 

He  replied  that  a  great  many  of  the  emigrants  who  had 
passed  there  had  abused  him  and  called  him  Old  Pica- 
yune Foster.  "Now,  sir,  if  you  will  speak  a  kind  word 
for  me  as  you  go  up  the  valley  I  will  let  you  have 
what  you  want  for  the  money  you  have  without  the 
work." 

I  told  him  I  certainly  would  do  that  much  and 
thanked  him  very  gratefully  besides.  He  had  killed  a 
fine,  fat  three-year-old  beef  the  day  before  and  he  gave 


SCENES    OF     EARLIER    DAYS.  [\l^ 


me  at  least  ten  pounds  of  that  and  a  nice  lot  of  flour 
and  sflid:  "There  is  the  hoe  and  yonder  is  the  potato 
]>atch,  help  yourself.  I  will  go  to  the  barn  and  throw 
some  hay  down  for  your  horses  for  there  is  no  grass 
near  here." 

I  will  leave  the  reader  to  jyuess  the  amount  of  supper 
we  ate,  and  we  afterward  slept  soundly  all  night.  Often 
in  talking  with  men  who  had  passed  Mr.  Foster's,  both 
l^efore  arid  after  we  did,  I  heard  them  abuse  him,  and 
when  I  would  tell  of  his  ki?idnesF  to  us  it  would  astonish 
them  to  think  he  had  been  so  liberal.  I  never  knew  why 
he  treated  us  so  kindly,  but  one  thing  I  <an  say,  I  was 
glad  to  find  a  fHend  when  we  really  wanted  one  for  we 
were  strangers  in  a  strange  land. 

The  next  morning  I  went  to^him  again  and  thanked 
him  and  aske<l  him  if  he  could  tell  me  where  I  could  get 
some  work  to  do.  He  said  he  thought  a  man  about  a 
mile  from  him,  and  directly  on  our  road,  wanted  help 
for  he  had  just  thrashed  his  grain  with  an  old  chaflf  piler 
and  now  he  wanted  to  clean  it  with  a  fanning  mill.  We 
found  the  man  and  the  place  and  the  work  and  soon  a 
bargain  was  made  and  he  was  to  board  us,  if  my  wife- 
would  do  the  cooking,  and  give  me  a  dollar  and  a  half  n 
day. 

We  remained  with  him  two  days  and  then  traveled  on 
up  the  valley  in  search  of  work  and  a  home.  Emigrants 
that  year  were  allowed,  if  they  were  married,  320  acres 
of  land  and  as  we  traveled  on  we  made  inquiry  where 
homes  could  be  found.  We  came  to  a  stream  called 
Mollala  and  crossed  it  on  the  main  mail  route  up  the 
countr}'  from  Oregon  city.     It  was  a  beautiful  stream  of 


66  SCENES    OF    EAELIEK    DAYS, 


pure  mountain  water  and  u  e  camped  there  and  found 
grass  in  abundance. 

There  was  a  man  living  near  the  ford  who  had  been 
there  a  number  of  years,  being  among  the  first  to  go  to 
Oregon  overland.  He  seemed  to  be  a  nice  quiet  gentle- 
man. He  had  married  prior  to  1850  a  very  worthy 
young  lady,  and  all  who  married  before  that  date  were 
entitled  to  640  acres.  This  he  had  secured  from  the  best 
land  in  the  territory,  for  Oregon  was  not  then  a  state. 
He  kept  a  Post  Office  at  his  place  and  one  day  in  his 
absence  the  mail  came  and  his  wife  opened  the  sack  and 
among  other  letters  she  found  one  directed  to  her  hus- 
band in  a  women's  hand  writing.  Curiousity  prompted 
her  to  open  it  and  she  found  that  it  was  a  letter  from 
his  wife  in  the  states,  btating  that  her  team  was  about  to 
give  out  and  she  wished  he  would  come  and  meet  her 
and  help  her  in  to  the  Willamette  valley.  When  hf  re- 
turned his  wife  showed  him  the  letter  and  he  acknow- 
ledged all,  but  had  quietly  kept  it  from  her. 

"What  had  I  better  do,"  said  he,  "I  do  not  want  any 
trouble  with  you  women,  for  I  have   deceived   both   of 

you." 

*'You  must  go  and  meet  her  and  help  her  over  the 
mountains,  then  bring  her  here  and  we  will  settle  the 
matter  without  any  trouble  whatever,"  she  exclaimed. 

He  went  and  met  his  first  wife  and  brought  her  to  his 
home  and  said  to  the  women: 

"I  do  not  want  any  law  suit  or  scandal  about  this. 
You  two  talk  it  over  and  decide  between  yourselves  and 
the  one  that  will  live  with  me  I  will  live  with  her  and 
the  other  one  I  will  give  320  acres  of  land  and  build    a 


^KnesnES  xnf  "BixitLust  datb  <)7* 


house  and  barn  -on  it  at  lay  own  expense  and  furnish 
»ome  stock  for  it,"  mentioning  the  aiifount. 

The  first  one  spoke  up  inuuediatelv  ami  stud  to  the 
other  lady,  "jx>u  have  liv((]  witli  l.im  a  LircatdealloiiLicr 
tlian  I  have  and  you  can  continue  to  do  so." 

He  went  to  work  and  st)ou  erected  bniklings  and 
iuove<l  her  on  to  the  pixiperty  and  after  awhile  she  mar- 
ried and  they  both  live<l  there  side  by  side  as  peacable 
as  lambs.  This  story  was  told  to  me  by  a  man  who  was 
intimately  acquainted  with  all  the  i>arties  and  from  what 
1  knew  of  him  I  think  lie  tohl  the  trutJi,  Of  courhe, 
this  was  something  unu«al,  more  especially  the  latter 
portion  of  it  where  they  came  to  such  an  agreeable 
understanding  and  live<l  p«ical)ly  for  years  flose  to- 
gether. Tire  other  |>art,  which  told  of  the  man  mariy- 
ing  one  women  in  the  KtHt<  s  aiid  then  another  in  Oregon ^ 
was  nothing  uncommon,  for  it  had  been  done  before 
this,  and  it  has  been  done  many  times  since> 

The  next  stream  we  came  to  was  called  Abiqua  and  a 
man  by  the  name  of  Allen  live<l  near  it  When  we  drove 
up  in  front  of  his  dwelling  he  came  out  to  where  we 
were.  He  was  a  large,  good-natured  man  and  one  that 
a  stranger  v^ould  have  no  trouble  in  forming  an  acquain- 
tance. He  spoke  up  iumiediately  and  said:  "I  am  glad 
to  see  you  iu  this  western  world.  Last  spring  I  put  out 
a  very  large  garden  and  I  have  a  good  one  and  if  you 
will  camp  near  here  you  can  li;i\(  all  the  vegetables  you 
want  without  cost  and  if  you  want  meat  I  have  a  smoke 
house  full  of  bacon,  and  plenty  of  flour.  These  you  can 
have  at  a  very  low  price." 

We  thanked  him  and  tarried  a  few    days,    while   our 


68  SCENES    OF    EAELIEK    DATS, 


horses  were  resting  as  well  as  ourselves.  One  day,  in 
conversation,  be  asked  me  my  name  and  the  state  1  emi- 
grated from,  and  he  said  immediately. 

"You,  then,  are  a  licensed  ininister  in  th  '  CumberLmd 
Presbyterian  Church ,  for  a  gentleman  by  the  name  of 
Johnston,  a  minister  also,  told  me  you  was  oti  the  road 
and  would  be  along  soon." 

I  afterwards  became  very  well  acquainted  with  him 
and  found  him  to  be  an  elder  in  the  same  church  and  a 
man  who  exerted  an  excellent  influence  wherever  he  was 
known.  He  was  not  a  long,  S'  ur-faced  Christian,  bat 
one  who  could  enjoy  a  liearty  laugh  and  tell  as  spicy  an 
anecdote  as  any  one.  He  was  a  true  man  among  men 
and  this  is  saying  enough  of  any  one. 


CHAPTER  XA^III. 

A  few  years  after  this  his  name  was  placed  on  the 
temperance  ticket  as  a  candidate  for  the  Legislature.  He 
did  not  have  much  book  learning,  as  he  said,  but  was 
one  of  the  best  judges  of  human  nature  I  ever  saw.  I 
heard  him  make  one  of  his  political  speeches.  There 
was  a  large  concourse  of  people  present  and  when  he 
arose  to  speak  he  said : 

•'Mr.  Chairman,  the  men  opposed  to  me  are  men  of 
learning,  while  1  have  but  u  small  amount  of  that  article, 
but  I  contend  I  have  a  decided  advantage  over  them  all; 
there  are  but  very  few  men  who  understand  real  good 
language  while  everybody'  understands  poor  language." 

When  he  said  this  they  proposed  three  cheers  for  Sam 
Allen,  which  was  given   uith  a   hearty    good    will.     He 


SCENES    OF    KARUER    DATS.  ()9 

certainly  would  have  been  elected  had  it  not  been  that 
he  was  running  on  the  temperance  ticket.  If  men  would 
vote  as  they  pray  and  they  know  is  ri^fht  the  temperance 
ticket  would  be  elected  without  hum  li  trouble,  but  party 
carries  the  day  whether  right  or  wrong,  and  while  this 
is  the  case  good  men  must  take  a  back  seat.  These 
things  will  be  changed  after  awhile  when  party  must 
give  place  to  right-thinking  and  right-actinj^. 

.\fter  camping  at  the  Abiqua  a  few  days  we  passed  be- 
yond the  Santiain  river  in  search  of  winter  quarters  and 
work.  Mouth  of  this  stream  we  found  a  beautiful 
country  and  only  occupied  here  and  there  with  inhabit- 
ants. A  Mr.  \Vm.  Eail  proposed  to  me  that  we  could 
occupy  the  upi)er  portion  of  his  lionse  for  the  winter 
antl  what  work  he  had  he  wnnld  -i\»  it  to  me.  It  was 
not  long  until  we  had  a  Ikuih  .1  our  own  and  moved 
into  it. 

In  the  spring  there  was  to  1»»  a  political  county  con- 
vention held  in  Albany,  the  county  town  of  Linn  county, 
and  my  friend  Earl  was  anxious  that  I  should  go  and 
become  a  candidate  for  assessor.  I  told  him  I  never  had 
much  to  do  with  politics  and  that  was  not  my  object  in 
coming  west;  that  1  would  much  rather  remain  in  pi-iv- 
ate  life  than  to  be  tossed  about  on  the  uncertain  sea  of  a 
political  campaign.  However,  I  went  with  him,  was 
placed  in  .nomination  as  a  candidate  and  run  for  the 
office  and  was  elected  by  a  veiy  Ihlv  majority.  So  far 
as  I  ever  knew  the  people,  as  u  general  thing,  were 
satisfied,  at  least  I  suppose  they  were,  for  when  they 
came  to  the  next  convention  they  wanted  me  to  run  for 
the  same  office  but  I  stoutly  refused.     I  felt   then,  and 


70  SCKNfIS    OF    EAfitrfifi    DATfT. 

still  I'eel,  that  one  jtar  of  a  political  li-fe  wa»  eu&u  jTs 
without  gofiig  furtlier  ancf  lmvin*2r  character  iTiid'erstoo(fj 
ancf  nren  oifering  money  iT  [  would  only  use  it  at  eertaiTf 
precincts.  I  thiffk  every  -nan  on<T^ht  ta  dor  his  dnty  at 
the' polls  and  those  oiferintr  bribes  ought  ne\^er  to  be  al- 
lowed a  vote.  This  constitutes  all  of  my  political  life- 
and  r  have  always  been  glad  it  clid,  for  there  is  a  host 
who  are  rumed  morally  and  who**  become  drunkards  just 
becanae  they  have  been  po-litical  aspirants  and  held  some- 
petty  otUce  I  wa&  then'  quite  youirg  and  although  raised 
right  I  might  have  g(me  ffstray  vvrth  all  my  Scotch  stub- 
boTnnesB  had  I  entered  heiu-t  and  soul  into  politics.  I 
never  could  s'Avim  in  water  and  i  think  I  should  have- 
made  just  as  poor  one  on  the  political  sea.  1  feft  that  I 
had  another  and  greater  calling  than  to  enter  political 
strife  and  that  God's  claims  were  far  alx>veall  others  and 
that  wish  should  be  followed, 

I  gave  myself  to  the  work  of  preaching  and  tr^ying  to 
save  men  from  endless  ruin  I  remember  once  establish- 
ing an  appointment  cm  North  Santiam  and  one  Sunday 
I  preached  on  endless  punishment,  proving  the  doctrine 
from  the  Bible  and  showing  its  reasonableness.  There 
was  present  a  Universalist  and  after  the  sermon  he  said 
to  a  neighbor,  "'I  do  not  believe  in  scaring  people  into 
religion . " 

"Oh/'  said  the  other,  "if  they  can  be  scared  into  it  let 
them  be  scared  for  it  will  be  the  happiest  scare  they  ever 
had  in  all  their  lives/' 

Now,  I  want  to  talk  a  little  while  to  any  young  minis- 
ter who  may  chance  to  read  this  article.  I  had  an  ap- 
pointment once  for  what  was  then  termed    a   two   days' 


SCENES  OF  EAKLIER  DAYS.  71 


meeting?  at  the  Elkins  school  house  in  what  was  known 
as  tin  Korks  of  Satitiam.  M}^  two  days'  meetin;i:  was 
hey^uu  on  Saturday  night.  Throw «»h  the  week  I  had 
been  trying  to  fix  up  a  sermon  for  tli.  lir^t  appointment 
and  all  the  text  I  could  find  to  interest  me  was  the  one 
found  in  the  book  of  Daniel,  "Thou  art  weighed  in  the 
balanceH  and  art  found  wanting  "  All  I  could  think 
about  was  the  history  connected  with  the  text  and  when 
I  got  up  to  preach  I  had  no  trouble  going  that  far. 
When  1  had  gone  thit  far  the  thought  occured  to  me. 
"now  what  are  you  going  to  do  with  the  balances  and 
what  will  you  place  on  each  side  "  Put  un  ungodly 
world  on  one  side  and  God's  law  on  the  other  and  see 
how  they  will  balance.  I  never  had  better  liberty  in 
preaching  in  all  my  experience  and  I  wound  up  by  show- 
ing that  Christ  alone  could  balance  the  scales  as  he  was 
the  end  of  the  law  for  righteousness  to  every  one  that 
l)elieveth. 

When  the  sermon  was  finished  they  came  running  to 
me  telling  what  a  fine  sermon  they  had.  The  thought 
occured  to  me,  *you  call  that  a  good  sermon  I  will  show 
what  a  good  one  is  tomorrow."  The  morrow  came  and 
a  full  house  assembled  and  1  took  for  a  text,  "And  I  t-aw, 
as  it  were,  a  sea  of  glass  mingled  with  fire;  and  them 
that  had  gotten  the  victory  over  the  beast,  and  over  his 
image,  and  over  his  mark,  and  over  the  number  of  his 
name  stands  thereon  having  the  harps  of  God."  If  there 
was  a  sea  of  glass  I  never  saw  it  and  I  never  got  any- 
where near  the  harps  of  God;  but  1  quit  badly  whipped 
and,  to  a  certain  extent,  pride  conquered,  although  I 
have  had  many  a  hard  tussle  with  it  since.  But  it  learned 


f^  S'CESIE^    OF     EARLmR    DAyS" 

me  one  very  inipoitani  le.sson  and  that  was  to  take' 
plainer  texts  and  not  try  to-  s^lio-w  iny  own  smartness  in- 
stead of  preaching  Christ. 

There  was  a  camp  mpeeting  once  held  hy  the  United 
Brethen  a  few  miles-  fro'm  where  I  lived  and  I  attended 
it>  on  the  sabbath.  They  a»ked  me  ta  preach  for  them 
in  the  afternoon,  which  is  and  always  has  been,  a  very- 
unfavorable  hour,  Ho-wever,  1  consented  and  took  for 
a  text,  "For  the  bed  is  t+horter  than  that  a  man  can; 
stretch  himself  on  it  and  the  covering  narrower  than 
that  he  can  wrap  himself  in  it."  When  I  got  up  to 
preach  the  people  were  standing  in  groups  talking,  or 
seated  eating  melons,  not  all  the  congregation  but  per- 
haps one-half.  1  told  them  1  was  not  sure  whether  1 
had  anything  to  say  that  would  interest  then>  but  one 
thing  was  sure  my  experiencs  of  text  would  not  fail  to 
interest  all  if  they  would  listen  and  hear  it.  They  com- 
meDced  to  be  seated  and  finally  all  were  ready  to  listen 
and  when  1  told  what  the  text  was  some  came  near 
laughing  out  loud.  There  was  a  good  degree  of  interest 
and  excellent  attention  but  the  thing  1  wanted  to  speak 
of  particularly  was  this:  There  was  present  a  gentle- 
man anel  his  M^ife  whom  1  did  not  know  and  had  never 
met  and  after  the  sermon  they  started  for  houie  a  few 
miles  distant.  After  they  left  the  camp  ground  and 
were  traveling  homeward  they  both  seemed  to  be  very 
serious.  Finally  the  husband  broke  the  silence  and 
said : 

"Wife,  somebody  has  been  telling  that  preacher  all 
about  us  having  that  orphan  boy  and  how  bably  we  are 
treating  him  by  furnishing  the  bed  we  have.      We  must 


SCtXES  OT  EARIIEH  DAYS.  1^ 

mend  our  wavs  and  jj^et  bim  «  better  bed  and  better 
covering  so  that  we  will  »ot  be  ex|30sed  next  time  we  at- 
tend ciiurch," 

It  was  not  loiij(  before  the  \)Oor  fellow  had  as  ^ood  a 
Ixd  a-i  other  hayH. 

The  winter  of  1.S5(»  and  I8.i7  was  one  of  the  worst  1 
«ver  Kiw  in  any  oountrj  for  dampness.  There  were  forty 
<1ay8  without  one  aingle  ray  of  bii<?iit  sunshine  and  it 
rained  80iueout  of  every  twenty-four  hours.  We  resolvecl 
to  go  where  thei-e  was  sunshine  if  it  was  to  be  found  on 
the  western  sJope  of  our  j^reat  country.  Wlien  we  left 
Oregon  for  California,  whirk  was  in  February,  1858,  the 
elder  of  the  churcli  where  1  had  been  preai-hiiig  for  sev- 
eml  yeai*8  ai»«l  n»  ulio-^*-  Ixnindsi  wo  Hv«m1  runu*  tn  nw  .jiid 
said: 

**You  are  gx>lii^  into  a  veiy  dangei-ous  country,  one 
where  human  life  is  not  valued  very  highly  and  it  will 
be  necessary  for  you  to  be  well  armed  or  they  are  sure  to 
kill  you." 

1  told  bini  1  was  not  the  least  afraid  of  any  thin«i    of 
the  kind,  that  it  did  not  look  well  for  a  minister  of   fli< 
goi^pel  of  peace  to  tell  luen  to  repent,  and  at   the   sanje 
time  have  a  Bible  in  his  pocket  and  a  pistol  in  the  other 
ready  to  defend  himself  and  kill  othei*8. 

Said  he  with  still  more  earnestness:  "1  do  not  want 
yon  to  leave  Oregon  without  a  pistol  and  1  have  one  that 
1  will  make  you  a  present  of.  It  needs  to  be  repaired  a 
little,  which  you  no  doubt  can  have  done  at  Portland 
while  you  are  waiting  for  the  steamer." 

He  placed  the  pistol  in  my  satchel  and  said:  "You 
must  get  thi«  r<]»nr<d   ff)r  no  doubt  yon    will   want  it  in 


74  SGESTES    OF     EARLIER    DATS 


your  new  borne." 

1  did  not  see  the  weapon  again  until  after  we  had  bee-n 
in  Cahfornia  some  time.  We  had  some  fowls  which  the 
owls  were  troubling  at  night,  1  had  the  pistol  repaired 
and  used  to  shoot  at  the  owls  so  as  to  frighten  them 
away.  It  would  hardly  have  killed  even  if  it  had  hit  the 
owds  for  it  was  nothing  but  an  old  Allen  ''pepper  box." 
One  night  when  we  were  all  gone  from  home  some  one 
broke  into  the  house  and  stole  a  pair  of  blankets,  a 
chopping  ax,  a  watch,  a  fine  tooth  comb,  fifty  cents  in 
money  and  the  pistol  and  that  was  the  last  1  saw  of 
them. 

1  have  related  the  above  for  the  purpose  of  showing 
the  opinion  that  even  good  men  had  in  those  days  about 
California  society.  Then  this  state  was  looked  upon  as 
being  inhabitated  by  a  cut-throat  race  of  people  and  one 
especially  dangerous  to  travel  in,  or  to  live  in.  I  never 
found  any  trouble  in  traveling  through  any  of  this  west- 
ern country  and  I  have  traveled  thousands  of  miles  on 
horseback  and  in  a  buggy,  by  steamers  and  railroads.  I 
have  found  Californians  a  whole-souled  people  and  will- 
ing to  entertain  strangers,  and  as  to  morals  they  will 
compare  favorably  uith  any  of  the  newer  states  and  terri- 
tories, or  even  with  Oregon,  our  neighbor  on  the  north, 
although  the  Portland  Oregonian  may  entertain  different 
views.  1  once  talked  with  a  lady  who  came  down  from 
Oregon  to  California  on  a  visit  to  some  friends.  I  said 
to  her: 

"When  I  lived  in  Oregon  I  liked  the  society  ver}^ 
much.  Most  of  the  people  attended  church,  and  rich 
and  poor  met  on  an  equalit}'.     A  stranger  could  not  tell 


SCT^ES    OF    EAR11I31    DAYS,  75 


the  rich  from  the  poor  at  tbeir  social  gatherings," 

'If  jou  were  there  now,  sir,  you  would  find  a  line 
<lrawn  and  tlmt  the  rich  were  j*reatly  stuck  up,"  she 
replied, 

>Iy  Candid  opinitjn  is  that  great  imprnvements  could 
h'  made  both  in  Oi>ego«  and  California  society  and  the 
one  has  no  right  to  boast  over  the  other.  Every  lover  of 
good  morafe  loves  to  hear  of  men  everywhere  quitting 
evil  practices  and  learning  a  language  that  has  an  ele- 
vating tendency,  and  not  one  tending  downward,  for 
the  interest  of  one  is  in  the  same  sense  the  interest  of  all 
and  the  downfall  of  one  may  cause  the  downfall  of  many 
more.  No  one,  it  matters  not  how  rich  and  learned  he 
is,  is  authoii/ed  to  hold  his  head  so  high  that  he  forgets 
he  is  traveling  on  the  earth  and  liable  to  tramp  on  his 
neighbors  corns.  Until  the  discovery  of  gold  in  Califor- 
nia money  was  a  very  scrarce  article  in  Oregon.  But 
w Inn  gold  was  discovered  in  California,  Oregon  began 
to  wake  up  and  the  blood  went  rushing  through  her 
veins  with  increased  speed  and  her  stiong  arm  was 
pushed  out  in  many  enterprises  for  the  benefit  of  this 
western  c^ountry.  If  Oregon  cait  surpass  us  in  the  way 
of  morals  and  enterpnse  all  right.  But  be  sure,  our 
neighbora  of  the  north  who  dwell  in  a  colder  climate, 
that  you  are  willing  to  give  us  eijual  chances  with  your- 
selves and  then  if  we  can  beat  you  in  the  way  of  morals 
and  sobriety  and  in  pushing  out  in  all  directions  with 
our  great  enter])rises  we  are  going  to  do  it  and  if  in 
after  years  you  find  yourselves  in  the  shade  and  see  us 
in  the  bright  sunshine  enjoying  the  golden  hues,  just 
conclude  that  it  was  our  push  and  courage  that  made  us 


76  SCENES    OF     EARLIER     DATS. 

what  v/e  are  as  well  as  our  "glorious  climate." 

The  journey  from  Oregon  to  California  was  a  veiy 
stormy  one,  in  fact  the  captain,  although  he  was  an  old 
sailor  on  this  coast,  said  the  ocean  was  rougher  than  h(> 
ever  saw  it.  We  were  ten  duys  from  the  mouth  of  the? 
Columbia  river  to  San  Francisco,  a  trip  that  is  now  mad-> 
in  less  than  three  days. 

We  arrived  in  Cahfornia  in  February,  185S,  and  as 
soon  as  we  passed  through  the  Golden  Gate  the  sun 
commenced  shining  and  i-evealing  the  country  around 
the  bay.  After  ten  days  of  rough,  stormy  weather  and 
strong  head  winds  it  was  cheerful  to  find  such  a  great 
change.  We  made  our  way,  the  same  day  of  our  arrival 
in  San  Francisco,  to  Stockton  and  I  commened  to  look 
around  and  see  what  could  be  done  in  religious  matters. 
I  found  a  small  church  organized  about  seven  miles 
from  Stockton  on  the  Sacramento  road  and  finding  a 
vacant  house  we  moved  among  them  and  commenced 
work.  'I  here  w^as  no  church  organized  in  Stockton  by 
the  C.  Ts.,  and,  of  course,  no  building  in  which  to  hold 
services.  After  consulting  with  a  few  members  who 
lived  there  we  concluded  to  make  an  effort  to  build. 

Stockton  then  had  a  population  of  about  1000  and 
there  were  two  Methodist  church  buildings  and  one 
Presbyterian.  Our  first  effort  was  to  find  a  lot  on  which 
to  erect  a  house  of  wort-hip.  This  was  soon  done  and 
we  started  our  subscription  paper  and  in  a  few  months 
the  building  was  erected,  house  and  lot  paid  for  and  a 
church  organized  The  elder,  a  Mr.  Horsman,  assisted 
me  in  all  the  work,  except  he  would  not  go  into  saloons 
and  beg  money  for  church  purposes.     I  went  into  every 


SGBMlffi    OF    KARLI£a    DAYS.  77 


saloon  in  the  town  and  my  recollection  now  is  that  I 
never  failed  to  yet  money  out  of  any  of  them.  Some- 
times 1  would  fin<l  them  gambling  and  watch  them  a  few 
moments  and  say : 

"Gentlemen,  1  am  a  stranger  in  this  country  but  1 
have  always  understood  that  men  following  your  occu 
pation  were  very  liberal  toward  the  churches,  and  as  1 
am  trying  to  build  one  in  this  city  1  called  to  get  some 
help,  'now  show  us  your  hand,  if  you  please,'  "  and  they 
generally  responded  very  liberally. 

While  1  was  engaged  in  the  building  euterpnse  in 
town  I  kept  up  a  regular  appointment  at  my  home  place 
and  also  established  an  appointment  at  Woodbridge,  a 
small  town  eight  miles  north.  Sabbath  then  in  Califor- 
nia was  the  great  day  for  drinking,  card  playing  and 
horse  racing  and  Woodbridge  was  no  exception  to  the 
rule.  This  town  was  named  in  honor  of  a  man  who 
used  to  keep  a  hotel  there  by  the  name  of  Wood.  There 
was  no  preaching  there  and  my  recollection  is  that  I 
held  the  first  religious  services  ever  held  in  the  place. 
There  was  a  school  house  not  far  from  town  where  minis- 
ters sometimes  preached.  At  my  first  appointment  a 
member  and  one  of  the  elders  went  with  me,  as  they 
said  for  a  kind  of  "body  guard."  There  had  been  a 
Masonic  hall  erected  and  they  kindly  consented  that 
services  might  be  held  in  the  lower  portion  of  it.  When 
we  arrived  we  found  we  were  the  only  persons  who  had 
come  to  church.  I  confess  it  looked  very  discouraging 
about  keeping  up  a  regular  appointment.  We  waited 
for  some  time  but  there  were  no  additions  to  the  congre- 
gation.    As  miners  say,  1  very  soon  resolved  to  go  out 


7S  S(TbNEg    OF     EARLIER     DAT^. 


on  a  prospeetiitg  tour  and  ttot  give  the  mattei*  up.  Nofe 
far  from  tbe  hall  1  lb uiiid  a  »al©o»  full  of  i»ei>  drinking; 
and  g^an>blmg.  1  we»t  b.ic  c  and  toid  those  wha  canie^ 
with  u>e  that  1  thought  1  wouhl  groover  fwid  inivite  thenu 
to  chuFch^ 

"Yes,- you  do  that, "'they  both  replied,  ''and  yim  will 
get  whipped  before  you  g'^t  out  of  the  saloor*  You  must: 
femember  you  are-  a  very  late  arrival  in  Californii  and 
are  not  accusttwijed  to  tbe  ways  of  the  people  here/*" 

J  replied  that  1  w,.»  not  tbe  least  afraid  of  being, 
whipped,  that  that  was  a  gan*e  two  could  play  at  and  i 
had  determined  to  risk  the  conseq^ueoces  a»d  go,  1  went 
over  and  walked  into  the  saloon  and  watclied  them  gam- 
ble and  drink  a  few  moments  and  then  pulled  off  my  hat 
and  made  them  as  polite  a  bow  as  1  eould  (after  I  had 
called  their  attention.)  Then  1  said  to  them,  "gentle- 
men, you  have  had  a  game  of  your  kind,  now  come  over 
to  church  at  the  hall  and  take  a  game  of  my  kind/'  i 
also  gave  the  bartender  a  special  invitation  to  come,  and 
he  said  immediately : 

*'l  request  every  one  present  to  get  out  of  here  and  go 
to  church  for  1  want  to  close  the  saloon  as  soon  as  possi- 
ble and  go  out  and  get  my  family  and  attend  church,  for 
no  man  shall  come  into  my  saloon  and  invite  me  but 
what  1  must  hear  what  he  has  to  say." 

I  returned  and  told  my  companions  what  I  had  done 
and  that  they  were  nearly  all  coming  to  church,  but  still 
they  doubted  and  1  told  them  to  wait  a  few  moments  and 
see.  It  was  only  a  short  time  until  they  commenced  to 
come,  and  with  them  the  saloon  keeper  and  his  family. 
Others  saw  them  coming  and  they  also  came   until   the 


SCENES    OF    EARUER    DAYS.  79 


trongrejjation  numbered  about  eiglity,  and  as  well-be- 
liaved  as  any  one  could  wish.  There  was  one  man,  who, 
1  think,  had  one  dram  beyond  sober,  came  in  eating  a  red 
apple.  He  seated  himself  but  kept  on  eating  and  look- 
ing to  see  what  I  was  going  to  do.  He  finally  laid  his 
apple  and  knife  down  by  his  side  and  listened,  seemingly 
with  an  intense  interest,  until  the  close  of  the  services 
and  then  resumed  his  eating.  The  text  1  preached  from 
that  day  was  a  very  pointed  one,  **  And  those  shall  go 
away  into  everlasting  punishment."  It  never  entered 
my  mind  that  such  a  text,  owing  to  the  occasion,  might 
be  regarded  as  a  direct  insult,  until  afterwards  when  1 
got  to  thinking  about  it. 

From  the  text  1  endeavored  to  show  the  real  necessity 
there  was  for  intlictiug  punishment  in  the  world  to  come, 
that  no  government  on  earth  was  safe  without  it  and 
that  Ood  in  his  iniinite  goodness  would  inHict  punish- 
ment in  the  future  on  all  who  refused  submission  to  His 
will  while  they  lived. 

Second — I  endeavored  to  show  the  nature  of  the  pun- 
ishment to  the  inflicted  That  one  of  the  main  ingredi- 
ents would  be  the  lashings  of  a  guilty  conscience  and 
the  fact  that  there  was  nothing  in  all  the  universe  to 
calm  its  fears,  that  such  has  passed  out  and  beyond 
Goal's  compassion  and  that  consistently  with  his  nature 
mercy  could  not  be  extended  to  them.  I  asked  those 
who  drank  how  they  would  like  to  have  the  raging  thirst 
for  liquor  to  continue  to  haunt  them  forever  and  yet  no 
means  of  gratifying  it.  Or  then  how  would  you  like  to 
have  the  influence  and  power  that  gambling  has  over  you 
to  continue  for  interminable  ages,  tossing  the  soul  about 


80  SCEKEg    OF    EARLrEIP    DAYF 

as  if  on  a  sea  of  lire.  I  can  tended  that  wrong -doing" 
made  men  miserable-  here  and  where-  it  wonid  be  con- 
timied  in  the  world  to  come  and  all  b^'  their  own  acts 
they  must  of  necessity  continue  to  be  niiserablev  for  look 
where  tliey  would  they  would  not  see  relief  earning  to- 
them.  1  urg'ed  tb  it  if  hell  was  no  worse  than  a  troubled 
caiiscieac3,  which  in  it^  V3ry  nitiire  was  tarm^enting,  that 
it  was  better  to  shun  ft. 

Third — I  endeavored  to  show  the  duration  of  the  pun- 
ishment, taking  for  my  authority  the  text,  '  'And  these 
shall  go  away  into  everlasting  punishment."  When  I 
advanced  t(>  this  proposition  there  was  a  silence  and 
solemnity  which  was  alnjost  oppressive. 

After  that  day  I  never  har]  any  trouble  in  securing  a 
congregration  at  that  place  as  long  as  1  preached  there 
and  was  always  treated  with  respect  by  the  people,  in- 
cluding the  saloon  keeper.  They  seemed  to  respect  me 
the  UiOre  because  1  told  them  the  truth  as  found  in  (lod's 
word.  This,  1  suppose,  was  the  beginning  of  what  is 
now  known  as  the  Woodbridge  church  where  our  good 
brother,  Br.  Steen,  now  ministers  and  has  been  minis- 
tering in  holy  things  for  a  number  of  years  past.  After 
the  scenes  of  that  day  they  sent  me  an  invitation  to  come 
and  deliver  a  temperance  address.  1  took  some  good 
singers  with  me  and  went  and  their  were,  I  think,  four- 
teen who  enlisted  with  the  Sons  t)f  Temperance.  It  was 
quite  a  temperance  revival  for  a  small,  new  town  and  I 
hope  done  some  good.  There  is  no  doubt  but  what  the 
singing  of  temperance  songs  added  greatly  to  the  interest 
of  the  evening's  entertainment. 


^CEKES  OP  EXULl'ER  DAYS.  8l 

CHAPTElt  XIX, 

I  believe  it  is  a  historical  fact  that  the  first  camp 
meeting  ever  held  in  Christendom  was  held  iu  July,  1800, 
by  a  Presbytenan  minister  whose  name  was  McGready 
and  that  the  custom  was  kept  up  by  them  for  a  number 
of  years.  Finally  it  was  taktHi  up  by  the  Cumberland 
Presbyteiians  and  Methodists  and  has  by  them  been 
carried  on  until  the  present  d.iy.  Camp  meetings  in  an 
early  day,  when  houses  of  worship  were  scarce,  were  no 
doubt  productive  of  great  good,  but  their  utility  does 
not  appear  so  plainly  in  the  older  sections  of  our  country 
where  houat's  of  worship  are  so  abundant. 

in  September,  liS5S,  uHsisted  by  others  ministers  I 
held  a  ca  up  meeting  near  the  Calaveras  river  about  five 
miles  from  >^tockton  and  not  very  far  from  the  road 
leading  from  Stockton  to  Sacramento  city  and  the 
bounds  of  the  congregation  where  1  was  preaching. 
The  first  service  seemed  to  be  an  indication  of  what  the 
future  ones  would  \ye.  The  Spirit  of  the  Lord  was  pres- 
ent with  His  moving  power  unitin^'  the  hearts  of  God's 
l)eople  as  the  heart  of  one  man.  It  was  largely  attended 
by  the  people  of  Stocktoii  who  seemed  deeply  interested 
in  the  services.  Although  some  of  the  rougher  element 
were  present  yet  such  was  the  deep  solemnity  which 
pervaded  the  entire  audience  they  behaved  as  well  as 
though  they  had  been  inside  of  a  house  of  worship. 
The  preaching  was  of  a  very  plain,  practical  kind, 
mostly  on  doctrine  showing  the  foundation  on  which 
the  Church  of  God  rested.  Human  responsibility  was^. 
clearly  pointed  out  showing  that  God  alone  had  the  righ 


82  SCENES     OF     hARUEU     DAYS. 

to  our  services.  I  believe  there  would  be  more  conver- 
sions at  the  present  time  if  the  great  doctrines  of  our 
holy  religion  were  explained  more  and  defended  by  those 
who  stand  on  Zion's  walls  to  proclaim  God's  eternal 
truth.  It  \\as  when  the  Apostles  preached  "Jesus  and 
the  Kesurrection"  that  men  in  great  numbers  turned  U> 
the  Lord.  On  the  day  of  Pentecost  the  preaching  was 
doctrinal  and  that  of  the  strongest  kind,  "Uim  being 
delivered  by  the  determinate  counsel  and  foreknowledge 
of  God  ye  have  taken  and  by  wicked  hands  have  crucified 
and  slain  whom  God  hath  raised  up,  having  loosed  the 
pains  of  death  because  it  was  not  possible  that  he  should 
be  holden  of  it."  It  was  when  Paul  "reasoned  of  right- 
eousness, temperance  and  judgment  to  come  that  Felix 
trembled."  And  it  does  seem  to  me  there  is  no  other 
way  to  make  men  tremble  only  in  view  of  their  responsi- 
bility and  the  coming  scenes  of  the  final  judgment  as 
revealed  in  the  Holy  Bible. 

During  the  meeting  to  which  I  refer  there  were  no 
great,  n  )isy  demonstrations  such  as  is  sometimes  com- 
mon on  such  occasion,  but  an  awful  solemnity  seemed  to 
hover  about  the  grove  in  which  the  meeting  was  held 
and  it  prevaded  ever}^  heart,  whether  they  were  profess- 
ors or  not.  I  remember  one  man  who  lived  eighty  miles 
from  town  who  said  he  had  important  interests  to  see  to 
in  Stockton.  For  six  days  in  succession  he  made  an 
effort  to  go  to  town  and  when  he  came  near  the  meeting 
he  said  there  was  an  invisible  power  whi(Ui  restrained 
him  and  he  would  remain  at  the  meeting  during  the  day. 
This  man  was  not  a  professor  of  religion  but  he  feft  the 
moving   of    God's   Spirit   and   a    loud    call    to    God's 


SCENES     OF     EARUER     DAYS.  88 


Service.     Whether  he    was   yielded    or  not   I    do    not 
know. 

The  result  of  that  meeting,  so  far  as  visible  things 
were  concerned,  was  thirty  conversions  and  accessions  to 
the  church  and  among  the  number  was  a  young  man 
who  afterwards  become  a  minister  of  the  gospel  and  is 
still  holding  up  the  standard  of  the  Cross.  This  young 
man  was  convicted  of  sin  in  .rather  a  peculiar  manner. 
Together  with  a  number  of  other  men  he  was  engaged  in 
teaming  from  Stockton  to  the  mines.  One  night  a  num- 
ber of  these  teamsters  met  at  a  certain  hotel  and  after 
HUpper  was  over  and  their  teams  attended  to  they  all  as- 
Hembled  in  the  barroom.  At  times  it  was  the  custom 
for  all  who  could  sing,  to  sing  a  song  before  retiring  for 
the  night.  As  a  rule  these  songs  were  not  of  a  religious 
nature.  One  and  another  had  sung  their  songs  until 
the  last  one  to  sing  was  the  young  man  to  whom  I  refer. 
Before  he  sang  remarks  were  made  complimenting  the 
singers  and  all  seemed  to  have  a  great  amount  of  sport 
as  they  joined  in  their  merry  peals  of  laughter  at 
the  songs  and  the  singers,  when  all,  with  united  voice, 
said  to  the  young  man,  "Now,  Lat,  it  is  your  turn  to 
give  us  a  song."  He  was  an  excellent  singer  and  had 
been  raised  in  a  deeply  pious  family  in  his  native  state. 
He  said  he  never  knew  why  it  was,  but  he  selected  the 
song  that  had  thrilled  so  many  hearts  in  the  ages  past, 
"Amazing  Grace  How  Sweet  the  Sound  that  Saved  a 
Wretch  Like  Me;  I  once  was  Lost  but  now  I'm  Found; 
was  Blind  but  not  I  See."  He  sung  all  six  verses  and 
when  he  had  finished  he  was  left  alone  in  the  room,  for, 
one  by  one,  they  had  all  retired.     This   was  the  arrow 


84  SCENES     OF     i.ARLIEil     DAYS. 


the  Holy  Spirit  used  to  reach  his  soul,  although  there 
was  not  a  word  spoken  by  any  one,  but  all  retired  to  rest 
in  deep  silence  and  amid  deep  solemnity.  There  was 
but  little  rest  for  him  for  his  song  brought  up  memories 
of  other  days,  when  the  family  were  assembled  for  their 
accustomed  evening  worship  and  among  the  songs  they 
used  to  sing  was  the  one  he  had  just  repeated.  This  was 
the  means  used  to  bring  him  to  Christ. 

During  the  meeting,  one  night  about  12  o'clock,  I  was 
awakened  by  the  voice  of  prayer  which  came  from  a  man 
who  seemed  to  be  alive  to  the  danger  his  soul  was  in  of 
being  forever  lost.  It  was  only  a  few  moments  until  a 
messenger  arrived  saying,  "The  man  who  keeps  the 
boarding  tent  wishes  to  see  you."  This  man  was  a 
cripple  in  one  of  his  arms  and  had  resorted  to  the  saloon 
business  for  a  living  and  was  keeping  one  almost  in 
sight  of  the  camp  ground.  We  made  him  promise  not 
to  sell  any  liquor  during  the  meeting  and  gave  him  the 
boarding  tent.  He  kept  his  word  and  conducted  an 
orderly  house  at  the  meeting.  The  night  of  which  1 
have  already  spoken  he  seemed  to  have  an  awful  view  of 
his  sins  and  the  evil  he  had  done  in  selling  whiskey. 

When  I  came  to  him  he  seemed  to  be  greatly  alarmed 
and  cried  out,  "Parson,  pray  for  me  for  I  shall  soon  be 
beyond  help." 

"Mr.  W.,"  said  I,  "are  you  willing  to  quit  selling-  that 
which  is  ruining  you  as  well  as  many  others  and  be- 
come a  meek  and  lowly  follower  of  the  Redeemer?  " 

"No,  Parson,"  said  he,  *'I  cannot  give  that  up;  if  I  did 
I  would  starve  " 

"Do  you  not  believe  God  could  find    some   other  way 


HC)  SCtNESr    OF     EARLIER     DAYS, 


for  you  io  make  a  living?" 

'*No,  I  do  not  »ee  how  he  could," 

I  told  him  very  plainly  he  could  not  be  a  Christian 
and  live  only  to  sell  that  which  had  proved  the  ruin  of 
so  many  thousands;  that  with  such  work  he  could  not 
glorify  God.  His  agony  seemed  to  increase  and  1 
pleaded  with  the  Lord  to  give  him  courage  to  come  out 
boldly  on  the  Lord's  side. 

It  was  all  of  no  avail;  he  would  not  give  up  Lis  evil 
ways  and  trust  the  Lord  to  show  him  a  better  way. 
After  this  he  never  swore  himself,  neither  would  he 
allow  any  one  to  swear  who  was  in  his  employ.  Not 
many  years  after  this  be  was  found  dead  in  bed  one 
morning,  having  died  with  delirium  tremens,  it  was 
thought,  for  he  had  been  showing  symptons  of  them  for 
some  little  time.  When  I  first  formed  his  acquaintance 
he  told  me  he  had  a  wife  in  the  states  and  that  she  be- 
longed to  the  "High  Pressure  Church."  I  told  him  that 
was  a  new  church  to  me  and  he  would  have  to  explain 
himself.  He  said,  "the  'High  Pressure  Church' was  the 
Methodist  church  because  they  loved  to  shout  so 
loudly." 

The  last  time  I  ever  saw  him  was  a  year  or  two  after  1 
had  moved  away.  I  was  passing  one  day  and  as  I  halted 
to  water  my  horse  he  came  out  and  while  we  were  talk- 
ing an  old  neighbor  rode  up,  and  when  he  had  watered 
his  horse,  he  said: 

"Parson,  come  in  and  have  a  horn  with  me,  for  you 
never  drank  with  me  while  you  lived  here." 

**No,  1  never  did,"  said  I,  "and  should  I  go  in  and 
drink  with  you  now  you  would  feel  like  'hooting' me  out 


SCENES  OF  KART.IKR  DATS.  87 


of  the  place  for  you  know  it  is  wrong  for  a   minister  of 
the  gospel  to  drink." 

However,  1  went  into  the  saloon  and  got  a  drink  of 
water  and  the  saloon  keeper  gave  me  a  cigar.  When  the 
neighbor  went  to  pay  for  his  dram  he  handed  me  five 
dollars  saying  1  was  traveling  and  it  might  come  very 
handy  for  expenses.  As  he  did  this  the  saloon  keeper 
threw  down  a  dollar  and  a  half  making  the  same  kind  of 
a  remark. 

Two  or  three  weeks  after  the  camp  meeting  near 
Stockton  there  was  one  held  near  the  town  of  Mountain 
View  in  Santa  Clara  county.  The  ground  was  nicely 
shaded  with  trees  which  afforded  a  good  shelter  for 
those  who  came  to  worship.  The  meeting  began  on  Fri- 
day and  without  any  religious  interest  so  far  as  man 
could  judge.  Saturday  the  attendance  was  greatly  in- 
creased but  the  interest  remained  the  same  both  at  morn- 
ing and  evening  services.  Sabbath  was  a  beautiful  day 
and  after  the  morning  prayers  at  the  tent  and  breakfast 
was  over  there  was  a  general  prayer  meeting  held  before 
the  hour  of  preaching.  After  the  11  o'clock  sermon  the 
sacrament  of  the  Lord's  Supper  was  administered  but 
the  services  seemed  to  all  to  be  lifeless.  Even  uncon- 
verted men  began  to  talk  about  it  saying:  "l  was  in 
hopes  there  would  be  a  deep  interest  on  the  part  of  the 
Christian  people  so  that  we  might  feel  like  becoming 
Christians  for  it  cheers  us  as  well  as  them  to  see  life  in 
the  services." 

The  afternoon  services  proved  to  be  like  those  going 
before  and  professors  of  religion  and  non-professors  both 
seemed  to  grow  restless  about  it,    wondering   what   the 


88  SCENES     OF     EARLIEK     DAYS, 

outcome  would  be.  Between  the  afternoon  and  evening" 
service  two  young  ministers  had  gone  for  a  walk  and  ta 
talk  about  the  meeting  when  they  weie  overtaken  by 
the  leader  of  the  meeting  (sometimes  they  were  called 
Bishops  even  if  they  were  Presbyterians  )  This  Bishop 
was  Kather  Brawley  who  said,  *'Brethern,  I  was  search- 
ing for  you,  one  of  you  must  preach  tonight  and  1  cin- 
not  determine  which  shall,  so  you  must  settle  it  between 
yourselves,"  and  took  his  departure.  The  two  young- 
men  retired  to  separate  places  and  prayed  and  then  they 
came  together  again  but  neither  was  satisfied.  Again 
they  went  and  prayed  Jind  when  they  met  again  the 
younger  of  the  two  said,  "For  the  first  time  in  my  life 
life  1  believe  I  am  the  one  who  should  preach  the  sermon 
tonight." 

"If  you  have  the  light,  preach,  for  I  am  not  at  all  sat- 
isfied," said  the  other. 

The  hour  arrived  for  the  evening  service  to  begin  and 
with  a  heart  full  of  his  message  he  entered  the  pulpit 
and  began  When  he  commenced  he  told  the  congre- 
gation : 

"When  1  have  fiuished  what  I  have  to  say  1  expect  to 
ask  those  who  desire  to  be  saved  to  come  forward  for  the 
prayers  of  God's  people,  and  a  number  are  coming  and 
they  are  going  to  experience  the  joys  of  pardoned  sins, 
and  1  want  you  Christian  people  to  be  ready  to  pray 
with  them  and  then  lead  them  to  Christ  and  rejoice  with 
them." 

The  leader,  or  Bishop  of  the  meeting,  was  an  old  vet 
eran  and  had  passed  through  many  spirtual  conflicts  but 
the  assertion  of  the  young    minister   seemed    almost   to 


SCESKS     OK     K\I:I,1KH     1>AYS.  W» 

wnnerve  him  and  he  grojinrd  aloud,  so  as  to  be  heard 
over  the  enoainpment,  and  siul  afterwards  he  thought 
all  was  ruined  and  a  declaration  made  that  would  not  be 
fulHlled.  Thf  brother,  he  thought,  must  be  beside  him- 
self wImmi  lir  alrcadv  kin'w-  tlu^'ehasnot  been  any  inter- 
est  at  the  nuMlm^. 

The  prf^HiliiiiL:  was  <»f  the  heurt-searehiiig  kind  and 
tol.l  j.lainlv  as  uoids  could  make  it  what  would  be  the 
i-onditi'-n  of  tli«  tinallv  imixnitrut  in  the  future  and  that 
their  oiil\  Iiojm  was  in  Cluist.  wlio  was  waiting  and 
williii;.;  to  sa\«'  tlitiii  tlitii  and  now. 

At  tin-  clo^r  of  tin  s(ini(»n  the  call  for  seekers  of  re- 
ligion was  nia<l<-  as  proniiscd  and  six  came  forwaid  and 
all  were  converted  before  midni-lit  Among  tli(  niind>er 
who  cnnu'  forward  was  one  wlio  luid  l)een  an  a\ow»(l  in- 
fid»  1.  talkin-  lii->  intidt  litv  to  his  ncinrlihoi-s.  ||,.  Incd 
]iMt  far  fioiii  Wir  r.i-^li'.p  ..f  til.-  MM',  tin--.  He  said  tlir 
1 11;^ lit  servift'h  had  conunt'ed  linn  n\'  t  lir  icality  of  r<liL;ion 
and  he  wanted  to  find  Christ.  Hi  i:iadt  his  wav  to  the 
leader  of  the  meeting  and  wlnhon  his  bendrd  knees 
and  his  eves  Htnaniing  with  tears  he  looked  up  at  him 
and  sai  I 

"Father  Brawlev,  piav  for  me  for  I  am  a  poor,  undone 
sinner  alK>nt  to  \m'  lost  ^  mu  know  1  have  lougsli^^hted 
these  thiiiL^  ail  1  -all  I  ua-  an  iuHdel;  God  pit}'  me 
and  hjive  comi)a--i'n     ri  nn  .     Oh,  pray  for  me." 

The  appeal  wa-  -in  ((s. fid  and  Father  Brawle}'  knelt 
an<l  1  ( (  itainlv  m  ver  heard  him  pray  with  such  earnest- 
ness as  he  did  that  night.  He  seemed  to  bring  heaven 
and  earth  together.  There  was  no  longer  dullness  in 
the  meeting  but  life  from  the  Spirit  of  God.  It  was  only 


90  SCENES    OF    EAKLIEK    DAYS 


a  short  time  until  the  power  of  the  Highest  was  made 
known  in  the  conversion  of  the  inlidel.  Men  who  had 
been  his  intimate  companions  gathered  about  him  and 
looked  on  astonished  at  the  lightning  up  of  his  counten- 
ance and  it  made  them,  too,  feel  that  religion  was  ;i 
devine  reality.  The  six  who  came  forward  for  prayer.s 
all  made  a  profession  before  midnight  and  from  that 
time  on  until  the  close  of  the  meeting  there  were  many 
more  saved.  God  wants  all  his  ministers  to  be  deeply 
in  earnest  when  they  deliver  their  message  to  their  fel- 
low men  for  eternal  interests  are  involved.  The  leader 
of  that  meeting  and  his  once  infidel  neighbor  have  both 
gone  to  their  eternal  home,  we  trust,  amid  the  glories 
and  beauties  of  the  heavenly  land. 

In  1860  I  was  appointed  as  agent  for  the  college  pre- 
viousl}'  located  at  Sonoma,  one  of  the  old  towns  of  Cali- 
fornia. That  fall  we  moved  to  Sonoma  valley,  a  beauti- 
ful country  to  look  at  but  rather  a  hard  place  for  a  poor 
man  to  make  a  living.  In  my  judgment  there  were  better 
locations  for  a  denominational  college  than  this  one  and 
one  where  it  would  have  prospered  and  did  great  good. 
A  wine  producing  community  such  as  Sonoma  was  then, 
and  still  more  so  in  after  years,  was  by  no  means  favor- 
able for  the  morals  of  the  youth  who  lived  there  and  who 
might  come  there  to  be  educated;  but  the  Synod  had 
selected  it  and  I  acquiesced  in  the  decision  although  the 
selection  was  made  before  I  came  to  California.  I  he  first 
sessions  of  the  school  were  held  in  an  old  Adobe  build- 
ing whose  exterior  was  anything  but  beautiful  but  whose 
interior  had  been  furnished  in  a  more  becoming  manner. 
I  said  the  Synod  had  selected  the  location.     It  was  the 


SCENES  OF  EARLIER  DAYS.  ^1 

racilH'  Pif.sl.\  ttiv.  ami  atteiw  aids  wiieii  the   Sviuxl   was 
©rgauized  they  appi-oved  the  selection  also. 

The  corner  stone  of  the  new  building,  1  think,  was 
laid  the  fall  of  l^'(>0  under  the  direction  of  the  Masonic 
frateiiiitv.  I  I  W  .  A.  Scott  delivering  the  address.  The 
new  l)iiil(l]ii.L;  N\as  to  be  oUxTU  feet  and  three  stories  in 
h<  i^^lit,  iiK  lu<lnig  the  root.  The  foundation  was  to  be 
ot  r.)ck.  and  at  tirst  it  was  the  iiitentinn  to  liave  erected 
a  stone  building  but  this  was  ehan^etl  al'tirwaids  and  a 
concrete  one  was  put  uj-  iu  its  stead.  There  is  no  build- 
i!i-  aiiywliere  that  could  have  a  more  secure  place  on 
Mbieh  t<»  Itiiild.  for  althoiiL:h  th.  foundation  was  built  of 
rock  it  i.-t.d  oil  rock  all  aioim.l  the  building.  It  is  a. 
substantial  buihlm-  u  itli  u  tiut  roof  and  ojie  tliat  presents 
a  good  appearance  to  tht  ])usser  bv.  \\  liil»  I  was  acting 
as  agent  for  it  i  told  tin  ti  i-t..^  ont  day  that  1  was 
going*  over  to 'a  Mr.  Swifts,  a  \<  ly  wraithy  man  living 
on  the  west  side  of  the  valley,  t«»  st  t  what  could  be  done 
in  the  way  of  -•  ttiiu  m.  ans  from  him.  1  remained  and 
took  dinner  witii  iiim  by  his  own  invitation.  When  we 
started  for  the  dining  room  he  went  to  the  mantel  piece 
and  look  from  it  lii>  I '.oinbon  bottle  and  wanted  me  to 
take  a  dram. 

"No,  hii .  I  ne\(  r  ta>t(  d  it  m  my  life  and    I    will    not 
begin  nov\ ."  I  said. 

"Oh,  it  will  not  (jo  you  any  harm,"  he  replied.     I  re- 
fused. 

"Mr.  S.,"  said  1  "you  would  be  a  great  deat  better  off 
today  had  you  never  had  anything  to  do  with  it." 

"1  believe  men  are  much  better  off  who  do  not  use  it, 
but  I  have  become  so  accustomed  to  it  that   1    have   no 


92  SCENES     OF     EARLIER     DATS. 

appetite  to  eat  unless  1  drink  it/'  was  his  answer.  He 
down  with  his  dram  and  we  went  to  dinner  and  had  a 
real  nice  social  time.  After  dinner  he  showed  me  his 
buildings,  consisting  of  a  stone  barn,  a  stone  fish  pond 
and  a  stone  house.  He  wanted  me  to  see  his  library 
room  where  he  was  erecting  a  book  case  and  expected 
that  it  and  his  library  would  cost  $10,000,  and  yet  he 
could  neither  read  nor  write.  After  showing  me  these 
things  we  took  a  seat  on  the  front  porch,  for  it  was  a 
warm,  pleasant  day  and  1  said  to  him: 

"With  all  your  beautiful  surroundings  1  would  fully 
expect  to  get  $2000  for  our  college  here  in  the  valley 
and  near  your  home." 

*'l  do  not  think  1  can  give  you  as  much  as  that,"  said 
he  "but  1  will  give  you  $10>  0,  for  1  would  like  to  see  a 
good  college  here  for  the  benefit  of  the  valley." 

The  school  was  moved  from  the  old  Adobe  building 
to  the  new  one  as  soon  as  it  was  ready  to  be  occupied. 
It  seemed  to  be  prosperous  for  a  time,  but  after  awhile 
the  trustees  borrowed  some  money  and  mortgaged  the 
building  and  lot  to  a  private  individual  and  it  was  not 
long  until  the  entire  property  was  lost  to  the  church, 
and  finally  the  party  purchasing  sold  it  to  the  school 
district  and  it  is  now  used  as  a  high  school.  I  continued 
as  agent  for  two  years  and  then  resigned  and  it  was  sev- 
eral years  after  this  when  the  property  changed  hands 
and  was  lost  so  far  as  the  church  was  concerned.  Now 
the  church  has  no  organization  in  the  valley,  neither  does 
it  own  any  property  there. 

While  living  in  Sonoma  valley  I  used  to  preach  at  St. 
Helena  in  Napa  county,  occasionally.     The   winter   of 


SCENES    OF    KABUBB    DATS.  93 


18G1  I  weut  there  to  bold  meetings  Saturday  and  Sun- 
day but  the  interest  was  such  that  they  continued  for 
three  weeks.  It  was  very  rainy  weather,  but  those  liv- 
ing at  a  distance  put  covers  on  their  wagons  and  came 
although  there  was  no  moonlight.  Every  night  the  house 
was  well-filled  and  it  was  plainly  to  be  seen  that  the 
interest  was  gradually  increasing. 

There  was  a  young  lawyer  living  in  the  community 
who  had  been  raised  in  a  very  pious  family,  his  father 
being  a  Presbyterian  minister  in  the  city  of  Philadelphia 
and  pastor  of  a  large  church.  He  had  left  home  when 
quite  young  and  had  sailed  in  almost  all  waters  finally 
finding  a  stopping  place  in  one  of  the  mountain  counties 
of  California  where  he  married  an  excellent  Christian 
women.  He  got  into  the  hibit  of  drinking  some  before 
he  entered  on  a  political  career  and  of  course  the  excite- 
ment of  political  life  only  urged  it  on.  He  was  elected 
to  the  California  Legislature  and  while  in  Sacramento  he 
drank  to  such  excess  that  he  had  the  delirium  tremens, 
or  as  Father  Denny  of  Oregon  used  to  term  it,  "devil's 
trimmings."  The  doctor  was  called  and  he  forbid  him 
having  any  more  liquor.  He  told  me  he  was  worth  at 
the  time  about  $5000  and  that  he  offered  all  this  for  one 
bottle  of  brandy,  which  was  refused  him  After  his  term 
expired  in  the  Legislature  he  moved  to  St.  Helena 
where  I  made  his  acquaintance.  He  had  become  sober 
but  had  turned  infidel  and  Was  arguing  it  with  his  neigh- 
bors. The  meeting  had  been  going  on  some  ten  days 
and  although  his  wife  attended  he  did  not  go  himself,  I 
was  stopping  with  one  of  the  elders  of  the  church  and 
one  day  it  was  raining  as  usual  and  I  got  up,  put  on  my 


94  SCENES    OF     EARLIEK     HAFS, 

overcoat  and  gathered  an  umbrella,  when  be  called  out, 
"where  are  you  going  in  such  a  rain  as  this."  I  told  him 
I  was  going  to  see  the  judge. 

"You  had  better  stay  in  out  of  the  rain  for  it  is  a  very 
foolish  errand  on  which  you  are  goin.>-  for  that  m  m  is 
an  intidel  and  you  will  only  make  a  failure." 

"No/'  said  I,  "I  feel  that  1  must  go/' 

1  went  and  found  him  in  his  office  all  alone  and  after 
a  little  pleasant  conversation  I  said  to  him:  "Judge,  1 
believe  I  h;ive  a  message  from  Groi  for  you  tonight  and 
I  would  be  pleased  to  see  you."  He  replied  iinraedi- 
ately. 

"1  will  be  there,  sir." 

He  came  according  to  promise  and  the  sermon  was  on 
the  Law  of  God.  It  seemed  to  interest  him  and  that 
night  before  the  close  of  the  meeting  he  was  converted 
and  \N  ent  to  preaching  and  has  been  a  faithful  minister 
of  the  gospel  ever  since  and  the  instrument  in  God's 
hands  of  the  conversion  of  thousands,  for  it  has  been 
almost  a  constant  revival  under  liis  ministery  since  that 
time.  At  that  same  meeting  there  was  a  child  converted 
only  eight  years  old  and  rather  timid.  She  was  helped 
on  to  a  seat  where  for  some  time  she  talked  about  re- 
ligion and  the  love  of  Ood  in  the  soul  until  all  who  heard 
her  were  astonished  at  her  wisdom  in  view  of  her  tender 
years.  Also  there  was  a  young  lady  who  was  engaged 
to  be  married  who  became  itisensible  and  many  thought 
she  was  going  to  die.  Her  lover  went  for  the  doctor 
and  when  he  came  he  said  it  would  take  a  higher  power 
than  him  to  do  anything  with  a  case  of  that  kind.  She 
lay  there,  perhaps,  two  hours,  and  such  was  the  interest 


SCENES  OF  EARLIER  DAYS.  95 

ill  her  condition  that  the  services  ceased,  only  a  song  was 
sung  oceasiouiilly.  Finally  she  showed  signs  of  life  and 
it  was  only  a  niouuut  until  she  could  tell  how  happy  a 
soul  was  with  Jesus  formed  in  the  hope  of  glory.  The 
dnrtor  was  a  good,  religious  man  and  a  member  of  the 
Hai)ti>t  (  huich  and  when  she  commence  talking,  he  said, 
**1  knew  it  would  all  be  right." 


CHAPTER  XX. 

Ndw  It  i-  ISiii  utid  April  10th  has  arrived,  the  day  set 
foi  tli(  <l  parture  of  a  company  of  men  for  the  northern 
mines  and  us  the  country  is  greatly  agitated  about  the 
civil  war  it  seems  to  be  a  favorable  time  to  try  the  for- 
tune ill  th<  L;(tl(l  fields.  When  one  has  worked  for  the 
publi<-  until  debts  accumulate  then  he  had  better  work 
for  hiiiiM  If  awhile  and  try  to  gain  a  little  of  the  world's 
goods  and  pay  up,  rntli'f  flian  !>.•  rc-.-u'lcil  as  either  car- 
inas or  np;j:ligfciit  about  paying  liih  just  liabilities. 

W  (  h  ft  the  beautiful  valley  of  Sonoma  and  determined 
to  cross  the  country  to  the  Powder  river  mines  in  east- 
ern Oregon,  in  preference  to  going  by  water  to  the  Dalles 
and  then  overlatnl.  And  now  it  will  be  necessary  to 
take  the  reader  over  another  range  of  mountains  differ- 
ing considerably  from  either  the  Rocky  Mountains  or 
the  Cascades,  altlK'n-ii  tli»if  i>  a  -similarity  in  all  moun- 
tain ranges.  We  traveled  up  the  SacranK  iit(»  river  by 
way  of  Red  Bluff  and  found  excellent  grass  all  the  way. 
in  ainio-t  all  companies  of  men  there  is  sure  to  be  at 
].  a-^t  nil.'  wli.'  is  a  tine  talker  an<l  tal;('s  great  delight  in 
exhibiting  ins  loquacious  talent    to    his    traveling   com* 


9()  SCENES  OF  EARIIBR  DATS. 


panions.  We  had  one  of  this  kind  in  our  company 
whose  tongue  (if  such  a  thing  was  possible)  seemed  to 
be  hung  on  a  hinge  or  pivot  in  the  middle  and  when  one 
end  tired  try  the  other.  He  was  well  informed,  or  at 
least  could  talk  about  any  subject  which  might  be 
named,  and  he  delighted  in  telling  what  he  knew  and  he 
could  do  it  to  very  good  advantage.  He  had  but  little 
force  of  character  and  very  often  intruded  himself  on  un- 
willing listeners.  Talk  he  would  and  take  he  did  and  it 
seemed  like  you  might  as  well  try  to  dam  up  the  Sacra- 
mento river  in  time  of  a  flood  as  to  check  the  onward 
current  which  came  from  him,  for  it  seemed  to  pour 
from  him  as  naturally  as  water  in  a  swift  current,  for 
difficulties  did  not  slop  him  and  if  he  happened  to  rest 
awhile  it  was  only  to  gather  strength  for  an  onward 
flight  of  oratory  When  awake  he  talked  almost  incess- 
antly, and  certainly  a  man  who  could  keep  up  such  a 
rapid  incessant  roar  must  have  spent  most  of  the  night 
in  thinking  what  to  say  the  next  day.  He  was  one  of 
the  kind  who  did  not  repeat  what  he  had  said  before  but 
seemed  to  have  a  fresh  supply  for  each  day  as  we  jour- 
neyed on.  One  day  we  tarried  for  noon  in  a  most  beau- 
tiful meadow  and  after  lunch  had  been  disposed  of  and 
while  our  horses  were  eating,  this  talkative  man  cam3 
where  1  was.  I  was  sitting  on  the  grass  in  a  very  com- 
fortable frame  of  mind  when  he  came  and  threw  himself 
down  at  full  length,  with  his  head  resting  in  my  lap, 
and  looking  up  at  me  as  innocent  as  a  child  and  asked, 
"Parson  what  do  you  think  of  me  anyhow." 

"I  think  you  are  a  regular  gaspipe,"  I   replied. 

This  only  seemed  to  be  the   means  o.    loosening   his 


8CEML8    OF     EARLIER     DAYS.  97 

tongue  and  of  spuriug  him  into  greater  activity   than 
ever. 

*'Ga8pipe,"  said  he,  **i  am  gluci  jou  said  it,  for  there 
is  no  human  iuvention  that  is  much  more  useful  thun  u 
gaspipe.  N\  hen  the  citj'  is  wrapt  in  the  suble  shades  of 
night  and  neither  moon  or  stars  to  give  light  to  the  in- 
habitants then  the  gas  comes  along  silently  in  the  pipe 
until  it  reaches  the  proper  phice  when  it  burns  and 
throws  out  a  beautiful  light,  saving  the  pedestrians  from 
harm.  Then  look  how  thut  cottage  is  lit  up  afiording 
the  inmates  great  pleasure  in  reading.  But  come  again 
to  your  beautiful  munsion  und  see  its  magniticent  parlor 
lighted  up  too  with  gas.  Father,  mother,  a  son  and  a 
daughter  are  there  enjoying  the  evening  as  only  families 
can,  when  a  ^oung  man,  neatly  clad  and  in  whose  looks 
tales  of  love  can  be  read,  enters  and  takes  a  seat  with  the 
group.  The  parents  and  the  son  soon  retire  and  leave 
tlie  two  young  people  to  themselves,  ihere  in  the  light 
afforded  by  that  gaspijje  he  whispers  words  of  love  into 
her  ears  and  could  you  peep  in  you  would  see  two  intense 
lovers  enjoying  that  which  Hows  Irom  that  light 
tie  gets  a  little  nearer  to  her  for  he  wants  to  ask  her  a 
very  important  question  and  not  too  loudly  for  fear  some 
one  miglit  be  listening.  His  heait  Hutters  and  he  al- 
most pants  for  breath  but  after  awhile  his  nerves  become 
a  little  steadier  and  his  courage  assumes  a  firmer  hold 
and  he  asks,  'do  you  love  me  enough  to  become  a  life 
partnei?  Will  you  be  mine?'  Now  his  heart  beats  faster 
tlian  ever  while  she  hesitates  for  a  moment  and  the  crim- 
son tide  rush(  s  \o  Ik  r  cheeks,  but  she  finally  says,  'yes, 
1  will  be  yours."     Oh  such  wonderful   happiness,    such 


S>8  SCENES    OF     EARLIER    DAYS 


joy,  such  delightful  ecstasy,  and  all  the  result  of  the  gas- 
pipe." 

"Again,"  said  he,  *'let  us  go  to  the  house  of  the  Lord 
where  an  elequent  divine  is  preaching  God's  eternal 
truth,  let  us  enter,  how  beautiful  the  light  is  here  and  it 
all  coraes  from  the  gaspipe.  See  that  immense  congre- 
gation of  worshipers  as  they  sing  the  songs  of  Zion  until 
divine  melody  fills  the  room.  See  the  man  of  God  as  he 
rises  with  a  solemn  countenance  and  reads  the  word  of 
the  Lord  and  then  says,  'Let  us  pray.'  His  prayer  is 
soul-inspiring  and  when  it  concludes  the  congregation 
feels  nearer  heaven  and  that  they  are  where  Jesus  is. 
Look  at  him  as  he  stands  there  the  very  messenger  of 
heaven,  sent  to  tell  men  how  to  be  roconciled  to  God. 
See  how  intently  they  listen  so  as  not  to  miss  any  of  the 
words  he  utters.  He  speaks  of  life  and  its  responsibities, 
the  dangers  of  delay,  that  now  is  the  accepted  time  and 
the  day  of  salvation.  Look  again,  some  have  accepted 
the  invitation  and  now  see  the  angels  ou  joyful  wings 
making  their  way  to  the  celestial  hills  to  tell  that  the 
'dead  is  alive  and  the  lost  is  found.' " 

By  this  time  the  entire  company  has  come  near  enough 
to  listen,  when  1  called  out:  "Hold!  hold  I  am  badly 
beaten  and  certainly  I  will  never  call  any  one  else  a  gas- 
pipe,  unless  1  think  he  is  very  useful  to  his  fellow 
men." 

The  company  all  roared  with  laughter  at  my  expense 
and  said,  "well,  the  Parson  acknowledges  he  is  beat  for 
once."  This  incident  afforded  more  or  less  sport  for  the 
company  for  hours  to  come.     Such  scenes  as  I  have  here 


SCENES    OF    £AKU£a    DAYS.  IH) 

described  helps  xery  much  to  break  the  monotony   of  a 
tedious  jt)uruey  and  to  drive  away  the  blues. 


CHAPTER  XXi, 


In  our  tr..vels  we  pjissed  the  town  of  Heddinji;  which 
Mas  then  a  sm  »1)  village  consisting  of  a  blacksmith  shop, 
a  hotel  and  a  saloon,  witli  but  few  dwellings.  When  we 
came  to  the  mouth  of  Pitt  river  where  it  empties  into  the 
*^acramento  we  went  up  the  former  stream.  \n  going 
on  the  old  emigrant  road  up  this  stream  we  sometimes 
found  pitts  dug,  the  work  of  Indians  in  former  days. 
They  would  dig  them  and  tlicn  cover  them  over  so  they 
could  not  l>e  told  from  the  l: round  surrounding  them. 
Their  original  plan  was  to  diive  a  stake  in  these  pits  and 
shaipen  the  up)>er  end  so  that  if  and  elk  or  deei  or  bear 
came  along  the  trail  it  would  fall  on  this  pointed  stick, 
or  then  if  any  of  the  lioises  of  the  Hudson  bay  company 
came  along  and  fell  on  one  of  these  sticks  it  would  re- 
joice the  hearts  of  the  Indians,  for  then  they 
knew  they  would  have  meat  for  days  to  come.  The 
Hudson  bay  company  used  to  be  in  that  country  trap 
ping. 

One  day  as  we  passed  along,  not  suspecting  any 
harm,  an  Irishman  found  one  of  these  pits  to  his  sorrow 
for  his  horse  fell  into  it  and  his  legs  were  wedged  fast 
between  the  sides  of  the  pit  and  the  animal,  until  he 
could  not  help  himself.  It  was  really  comical  to  look  at 
his  disturbed  face.  For  once  Pat  was  badly  frightened 
for  he  did  not  know  what  was  in  the  pit.  As  soon  as  he 
had  sufficiently  recovered    fiom    his   fright   to   talk   he 


100  SCEKES    OF    EARLrER    DAYS 

called  out,  **Gintlemen,  will  ye  ones  stand  by  and  see  a 
maun  die  and  niver  attempt  to  help  a  divil  of  a  bit."  It 
was  only  a  few  moments  until  men  with  shovels  went  to 
work  and  relieved  him  of  his  distress  and  he  went  on  his 
way  declaring  ^'That  any  human  beings  who  would  dig 
such  places  ought  to  have  vengeance  meeted  out  to 
them,  and  then  to  cover  them  over  so  as  to  catch  a  poor 
Irishman  going  to  the  mines  to  make  his  fortune  so  a& 
to  support  his  wife  and  babies  in  a*dacent  manner.  Wy, 
gintlemen,  it  is  a  great  wonder  that  I  had  not  been  kilt 
outright  and  buried  in  one  of  them.  It,  is  too  bad  on- 
tirely,  so  it  is." 

One  night  when  we  were  camped  on  Pitt  river  the 
»now  fell  about  six  inches  in  depth,  and  those  who  had 
no  tent  to  sleep  in  but  only  a  blanket  stretched  over 
their  heads,  found  in  the  morning  that  they  had  slept 
nnusually  warm.  That  morning  we  waited  until  the 
snow  melted  away  and  it  was  about  noon  before  we  re- 
sumed our  journey.  Some  of  the  men,  including  the 
captain  of  our  company  who  was  an  old  Rocky  Moun- 
tain trapper  and  used  to  Indians,  concluded  they  would 
go  out  on  a  hunt.  The  captain  had  a  desire  to  see 
whether  the  men  would  fight  if  they  were  to  get  into  a 
dangerous  place.  He  stationed  himself  behind  a  tree 
and  acted  the  Indian,  both  in  word  and  gesture.  Finally 
some  of  the  men  saw  him  and  drew  their  guns  and  fired, 
hitting  the  tree,  but  the  captain  had  gone  on  the  oppo- 
site side  and  was  safe.  After  they  had  all  got  back  to 
camp  he  told  it  and  then  added,  'you  will  do  to  depend 
on  if  we  should  get  into  a  battle." 

As  we  went  onward  a  few  miles  there  was  a  large  bod^^ 


8CESES    OP     EAKLIER    DAYS,  101 

c»f  smoke  which  would  puff  up  and  then  die  down,  puff 
and  then  disappear  again,  and  our  captain  exclaimed: 
**Meii,  that  smoke  comes  from  the  signal  fires  of  the  In- 
dians and  every  man  of  you  look  well  to  your  guns  and 
tiee  that  they  are  in  the  best  possible  condition  for 
shooting,  for  we  are  liable  to  have  a  fight  most  any 
time. " 

We  all  halted  and  fixed  our  weapons  for  war.  We 
were  traveling  up  a  rather  narrow  valley  on  the  river 
with  towering  mountains  on  either  hand  and  every  man 
was  on  the  sharp  lookout  for  fear  of  an  attack.  Some  of 
the  men  were  actually  pale  with  fear  and  as  1  had  no 
looking  glass  cannot  tell  how  pale  1  was.  No  doubt  all 
hearts  beat  faster,  but  with  all  of  our  timidity  we  kept 
marching  forward  with  gun  in  hand  ready  to  shoot  any 
Indian  who  might  be  in  that  part  of  the  country.  We 
kept  very  still  for  fear  we  might  wake  some  slumbering 
Havages  when,  to  our  astonishment,  we  came  to  a  very 
large  boiling  hot  spring  and  found  that  it  had  been  the 
cause  of  our  alarm.  It  was  about  twenty-five  feet  in 
diameter  and  without  any  bottom  so  far  as  we  could  see. 
There  was  quite  a  large  creek  running  from  it  and  there 
was  no  vegetation  growing  for  several  rods  on  either 
side.  There  m'ust  have  been  a  very  hot  region  below 
that  spring  for  their  was  sufficient  heat  in  the  waters  to 
cook  with. 

After  passing  to  the  head  of  Pitt  river,  which  in  reality 
we  found  to  be  a  large,  beautiful  sheet  of  water  called 
Goose  lake,  we  passed  on  and  beyond  the  Sierra  Nevada 
mountains  keeping  up  the  lake  and  not  turning  to  the 
right  over  a  high  mountain  as  the  emigrant   road   did. 


102  SCENES    OF    I  ARjLIER    DAYS', 

We  found  some  beautiful  coiintij  bordeiing  on  this  la'  e 
and  after  wp  passed  the  head  of  it  we  found  a  streana 
which  was  called  Eagle  creek.  It  was  greatly  swollera 
from  the  melting  snows  but  we  selected  a  narrow  plnce- 
and  felled  some  trees  and  built  a  temporar3'  bridge  and 
passed  over  in  safety,  with  the  exception  of  one  small 
mule,  and  it  fell  into  the  watei\  lost  its  pack,  swam  down* 
stream  nearly  a  mile  and  theh  landed^  coming  out  on  tht^ 
side  we  wanted  it  too  and  came  back  in  a  great  hurry  to 
the  company,  braying  at  every  jump.  When  it  returned 
it  was  interesting  to  watch  its  expressions  of  joy  as  it  ran 
from  one  animal  to  another  until  it  found  the  particular 
ones  with  which  it  had  been  traveling,  when  it  suddenly 
became  satisfied. 

Beyond  this  creek  we  cam})ed  in  a  juiji[)pr  grove,  some 
of  the  timber  being  dead  We  wanted  some  diy  wooil 
for  camp  fires  and  one  man  took  his  axe  and  commenced 
chopping  down  a  tree,  when  to  his  great  amazement  a 
bunch  of  something,  which  had  been  wound  up  in  a 
blanket,  came  tumbling  down  at  his  feet.  For  a  few 
moments  he  was  as  nervous  as  Pat  was  down  on  Pitt 
river  and  immediately  cea»ed  chopping  and  ran  away 
from  it.  Finally  he  was  told  by  our  captain,  as  well  as 
some  others,  that  it  was  the  custom  of  some  of  the  In- 
dian tribes  to  roll  their  dead  in  as  small  a  compass  as 
possible  and  put  them  in  the  tree  tops  and  tie  them  fast 
there  with -ropes  made  of  grass.  The  rope  had  rotted 
and  the  jarring  of  the  tree  had  thrown  it  down.  We  did 
not  unwrap  the  skeleton,  neither  did  we  place  it  back  in 
the  tree.  The  man  soon  found  there  was  no  danger  of 
the  dead  Indian  shooting  him  and  proceeded  to  cut  the 


SCENES     OF     EARLIER     DAYS.  103 

tree  down. 

We  fouiul  good  water  and  good  timber  both  very 
wcarce  in  that  portion  of  Oregon.  After  we  had  crossed 
some  streams  and  came  to  some  mountains  we  found 
wood  in  abundance  and  good  water  and  some  appear- 
ance of  gold,  but  not  enough  to  justify  us  in  stopping 
very  long,  for  the  Indians  were  troublesome  in  that  part 
of  the  country.  On  our  way  to  Powder  river  we  passed 
through  the  John  Day  country  where  we  saw  indications 
of  gold  and  which  afterwards  developed  into  a  very  good 
mining  camp.  It  was  there  that  1  panned  my  iirst  pan 
of  dirt  in  search  of  gold  iu  the  presence  of  two  old  Cali- 
fornia miners  who  made  all  manner  of  sport  of  my  awk- 
wardness. But  when  I  got  through  with  it  and  they 
saw  1  li;i«l  al«Mit  li  \  t  cents  worth  of  the  yellow  metal  they 
went  to  work  witli  a  will,  even  if  they  had  been  shaking 
with  laughter  a  few  moments  before  at  my  expense. 
From  the  Indian  signs  in  that  part  of  the  country  we 
concluded  that  we  had  better  move  on  to  Powder  river, 
the  laud  we  had  in  view  when  we  started  from  home. 
When  we  arrived  at  Auburn,  a  small  village  in  that 
country,  the  first  thing  that  arrested  our  attention  was  a 
sign  over  a  saloon,  not  but  what  signs  over  saloon  doors 
were  ver}'  common,  but  this  one  was  not  common  but 
very  uncommon  and  one  1  had  never  seen  before. 
♦♦Mount  Diabolo"  in  very  large  letters  which  had  evi- 
dently been  placed  there  by  some  Oregon  man  who  did 
not  understand  the  meaning  of  those  two  very  signifi- 
cant words,  for  had  he  searched  the  dictionary  thorough- 
ly he  certainly  <  ould  not  have  found  a  more  appropriate 
name. 


104  sGEsneK  (5s^  ^xfCLrmi  Dxrsv 

The  first  Sunday  after  our  *iinval  I  prejicbecf  iincfer 
a  large  pine  tree^  There  was  tlxMi^rht  to  be-  alxnit  50()> 
present  and  wkh  all  that  luinwber  their  was  cmly  one? 
lady,  the  wife  oi  a  Baptist  minister.  This  seemed  very- 
odd  and  yet  it  was-  no  uncommoii  occ«rerK'e  in  the  early 
days  of  mining  in  California.  Tlnere  is  one  thing  that  i 
think  all  nrinisters  have  notieedf  who  liave-  preached  im 
the  mines^  and  that  is-  as  a  rule  inen  are  orderly  and  welB 
behaved,  even  if  but  few  ladies  da  attend,  showing  that 
the  roen  can  have  good  order  witlKwit  them. 

During  the  summer  and  fall  of  I8()2  a  large-emigration 
made  their  way  across  the  plains  from  the  western  state* 
and  many  found  their  way  into  the  Fowdei-  rivei-  mines, 
so  that  during  the  fallowing  winter  Auburn  had  quite  a 
large  population  for  a  raining  c-.imp.  All  the  houses 
were  built  of  logs,  as  there  was  no  saw  mill  near  there 
at  the  time.  Among  the  emig'rants  who  came  were  four- 
young  roen  naessroates  from  Colorado  and  one  of  their 
number  was  a  Frenchman,  a  blacksmith  by  trade.  He 
hired  the  other  three,  who  u  ere  the  owners  of  the  wagon 
and  team,  to  bring  him  and  his  tools  to  Powder  river  for 
the  sum  of  I-IOO,  ^^  hen  they  were  at  their  journey's 
end  he  refused  to  pay  them,  according  to  contract,  and 
they  wanted  to  leave  it  to  three  disinterested  men  and 
let  them  decide  what  was  right.  Before  they  did  this  all 
four  went  out  prospecting  one  day  and  in  the  afternoon 
the  Frenchman,  who  returned  first,  took  some  flour 
from  a  sack,  cooked  it  and  ate  his  dinner  and  went  away 
among  some  friends-  After  finishing  his  meal  he  put 
the  contents  of  a  vial  of  strychnine  into  the  sack  and 
carelessly  dropj)ed  the  vial    near    by.     It   so  happened 


SCENES    -UF    IMOiEH    DAY&.  lOB 


tliat  a  lady  wko  was  canijjed  near  tkem  s»w  nil  the  move- 
vnents  of  the  Frenchman  hut  at  the  time  thought  but 
little,  i:  anrthii'^,  about  the  matter  as  she  was  bus^  with 
iher  own  work  Whon  the  three  returned  they  all  came 
together  and  liit-  1  uh  of  wIumu  1  speak  was  absent  from 
her  camp  ;m»l  <iid  not  see  them  return.  Being  very 
hungry  they  (•••minenred  ftying  pancakes  or  as  the  min- 
ers call  them,  fU  j  ifks.  aini  t'>  eat  quite  greedily  for  it 
"was  well  aloii;:  in  tlic  .ift. moon  and  they  had  not  eaten 
anythinjif  since  early  breakfast.  All  of  them  partook  of 
tilt  tirst  cake  fried,  when  one  of  them  said,  "Boys,  there 
is  something  wrong  with  this  flour."  When  the  second 
cake  was  c(»oked  a  p(»rtion  of  it  was  given  to  their  dog 
and  he  very  s«H>n  wint  into  spasms.  It  was  but  a  little 
while  until  all  thrt*-  in.n  \\  t  r.  \(  ry  sick  and  two  of  them 
<lied  in  a  short  tini«  llic  doi  tor>  worked  with  the  third 
man  the  best  tluy  (onld  uimI  liiiiilly  saved  him  from 
<leatlK  SiK'li  IK  \\s  us  tins  soon  8i)read  through  the  en- 
tire niiuin-  n^^ioii  ami  l)n>u^lit  together  a  number  of 
|)eople  and  among  tliose  who  came  was  Judge  Carver, 
who  was  engaged  with  Messrs.  Barlow  and  Rector  in 
viewing  out  the  Barlow  road  across  the  Cascade  Moun- 
tain^ into  western  Oregon,  who  was  at  the  scene  among 
tlif  lirst.  It  was  very  ]>lainly  to  bp  seen  that  they  had 
been  poisoned  by  sonj*'  umih^.  The  lady  mentioned 
above  said  she  saw  the  Freiw  Imian  put  something  into  a 
sack  of  flonr  from  a  vial  and  then  drop  it  on  the  ground 
near  by  and  sIk  believed  if  they  would  search  for  the 
vial  tlirv  \\..idd  sonfi  fnid  it.  The  search  was  made,  the 
\ial  t'niitid  niaiidcd  stiyehiiine  with  a  grain  of  the  deadly 
driiL;  still  in  it.  *  The  Irenchman  was  pointed   out   and 


I0()  SCTBNES    OF     EAaLFEK    D"ArSv 

immediately  taken  into  custody  by  a  man  appointed  then 
and  there  for  that  purpose. 

That  night  there  was  a  mass  meeting  by  the  miners 
ealled  to  see  what  was  best  to  be  done.  Judge  Carver 
was  elected  chairman  and  by  his  counsel  a  sheriff  wa& 
chosen,  who  proved  to  be  the  man  wKo  first  took  charge 
of  the  Frenchman.  It  was  decided  to  appoint  three 
judges  and  twelve  jurymen  to  try  him,  as  there  was  no 
county  organization  there  and  it  was  several  hundred 
miles  to  the  nearest  county  town.  Judge  Carver 
was  appointed  presiding  officer.  A  regular  licensed 
lawyer  took  charge  of  the  case  for  the  people  and  also 
one  for  the  prisoner.  The  inost  important  witness  was 
the  man  poisoned,  but  not  dead,  and  the  court  adjourned 
from  day  to  day  until  he  was  able  to  attend.  Finally 
the  trial  began,  which  caused  a  large  audience  to  assem- 
ble at  the  appointed  time. 

After  three  days  of  fair  and  impartial  trial,  and  as  civil 
as  though  it  had  been  a  regularly  organized  court,  the 
case  was  given  to  the  jury  who  soon  brought  in  a  verdict 
of  murder  in  the  first  degree.  The  presiding  judge 
pronounced  sentence  in  a  very  appropriate  and  solemn 
manner  and  then  set  the  day  and  the  hour  for  his  exe- 
cution. 

Among  the  miners  1  never  heard  a  doubt  expressed 
about  the  condemned  man's  guilt,  but  all  said  he  ought 
to  hang.  The  Frenchman  was  a  Catholic  but  as  there 
was  no  priest  in  that  part  of  the  country  I  had  to  offici- 
ate for  him  as  best  I  could.  The  night  before  his  exe- 
cution I  went  into  the  jail  and  talked  to  him  until  mid- 
night and  ate  supper  with  him.     I  talked  to  him   about 


SCENES  OP  EARLIER  DAYS,  1 OT 

his  preparation  for  the  future  aud  that  if  he  was  guilty 
he  ought  to  confess  it  aud  not  keep  denying  it  as  he  had 
done,  that  no  one  who  did  not  tell  the  truth  could  ever 
enter  that  goodly  land.  1  li;id  t(»  talk  to  liiiu  alto-ether 
through  the  aid  of  an  eiittTpivter  ami  whether  he  eiiter- 
preted  right  or  not  1  had  no  means  of  knowing  for  1  was 
not  acquainted  with  the  French  language.  According 
to  the  interpreter  1  did  not  succeed  in  convincing  him 
that  he  had  ever  done  any  thing  wrong  in  his  life, 
although  it  was  said  that  he  had  shot  one  man  in  i  olo- 
rado. 

The  morning  the  execution  took  i)lace  was  a  beautiful 
one  and  the  cnn.inal  refused  to  ride  on  his  coffin  but 
preferred  to  walk  behitid  it.  I!e  was  executed  on  a  hiuh 
liill  near  town  so  that  all  wlio  uaiit.d  \'h>  ((..ild  witness 
the  scene.  There  was  a  large  liumber  of  people  present. 
1  he  hardest  task  I  ever  had  in  religious  matters  was  to 
go  on  to  the  scaffold  and  offer  prayer  for  the  condemned 
man.  After  he  was  placed  on  the  trap  he  was  asked  if 
he  had  anything  to  say  and  to  his  interpreter  he  said,  so 
he  reix)rte<l. 

*'Tell  all  the  pe()[>le  I  am  goin;.^  to  die  an  innocent 
man.  Write  to  my  father  and  mother  in  France  that  i 
am  innocent." 

I  offered  prayer  for  him  and  at  its  close  he  handed  me 
a  gold  watch,  but  I  did  not  keep  it  long  as  it  reminded 
I:  <  (Very  time  I  took  it  fnin  niy  pocket  of  the  poor 
fellow  hanging  between  heu\(nancl  earth.  At  the  ap- 
I>ointed  time  the  cap  was  drawn,  the  rope  adjusted  and 
he  fell  and  the  oidy  sign  of  life  visible  after  his  fall  was 
the  moving  of  one  finger  very  slightly. 


108  SCENES     OF    EARLIER     DAYS. 

CHAPTER  XXII. 

The  two  years  1  was  in  the  Pawder  river  mines  I  held 
regular  religions  services  morning  and  evening  as  a  gen- 
eral rule.  Mining  through  the  week,  when  the  weather 
would  permit,  aijd  then  preaching  twice  on  the  sabbath 
was  hard  work  but  I  enjoyed  it  and  the  people  seemed 
to  appreciate  it.  Besides  this  work  I  took  turns  with 
others  in  publishing  a  monthly  paper  in  manuscript 
form  during  the  winter  The  way  the  people  obtained 
the  news  was  to  appoint  a  night  for  its  reading,  when 
large  congregations  would  assemble  and  the  editors 
would  read  the  contents.  This  was  a  g'ood  many  years 
ago  but  I  believe  the  paper  was  named  the  Auburn 
News,  in  honor  of  the  town  in  which  it  was  published. 
1  have  often  wished  since  that  time  thit  I  had  preserved 
a  copy  of  it  as  a  kind  of  literar}"  curiosity  of  that  day. 
It  was  frequently  the  case  during  the  winter  that  men 
traveled  forty  miles  on  their  snow  shoes  to  listen  to  the 
reading,  which  occupied  from  one-half  to  two  hours  and 
yet  they  did  not  seem  to  tire  or  even  grow  restless.  The 
paper  contained  articles  on  almost  every  subject,  political, 
religious,  mining  matters  and  witticisms.  The  fun  de- 
partment was  scattered  all  through  the  paper  and  seemed 
to  keep  up  the  interest  when  it  was  read.  There  were 
some  excellent  articles  on  the  Whitman  massacre,  and 
probably  the  next  article  would  be  a  Dutchman's  court- 
ing adventure  in  western  Oregon  w^hich  would  make  all 
hands  roar  with  laughter.  Then  there  might  be  a  good 
al'ticle  on  the  old  subject  of  temperance,  followed  by  a 
description  of  the  antics  of  a  drunkard   as   he   wiggled 


SCENES     OF    EARLIER     DAYS,  IW 


and  staggered  on  his  way  home.  The  night  the  paper 
was  to  be  read  was  known  generally  over  the  mining 
region  and  the  only  trouble  was  to  secure  a  hall  large 
enough  to  hold  the  people.  Wedding  notices,  of  course, 
came  in  for  a  full  share  and  the  notices  were  very  elabo- 
rate. Once  1  went  about  twelve  miles  to  marry  a  couple 
and  although  there  were  sixty  present  none  knew  of  the 
wedding  save  the  bride  and  groom  and  the  bride's  par- 
ents and  a  brother  of  the  groom,  but  all  had  cojue  dressed 
in  common  clothing  to  engage,  as  they  supposed,  in  an 
old-fashioned  candy  pulling.  All  the  ladies  were  dressed 
in  plain  calico,  not  expecting  what  was  to  take  j^lace. 
The  bride  and  groom  and  ths  parents  met  in  another 
house  not  far  from  the  one  where  the  guests  were  assem- 
bled and  we  all  marched  there  with  the  couple  to  be 
married  in  front  and  as  soon  as  they  stepped  into  the 
room  a  few  feet  they  turned  round  facing  me  and  1  went 
to  saying  the  ceremony  and  they  were  soon  united  in 
marriage.  Those  assembled  were  greatly  astonished, 
except  the  few  who  knew  of  the  secret.  One  young  lady 
declared  afterwards  that  she  did  not  catch  her  breath  for 
at  least  five  minutes.  This  incident  was  all  written  up 
in  good  style  for  the  paper  by  an  old  wnter  and  editor 
and  when  it  was  read  there  was  one  volley  of  applause 
after  another. 

It  was  too  cold  and  the  snow  too  deep  for  placer  min- 
ing, which  was  the  only  mining  done  at  that  time,  and 
such  scenes  as  I  have  been  desc^ribing  greatly  assisted  in 
helping  to  pass  away  the  long,  tedious  winter  evenings. 
Through  the  day  there  was  fun,  any  amount  of  it,  run- 
ning on  snow  shoes  and  this  sport  the   Parson   enjoyed 


110  SCENES    OF    EARLIER     DATS:. 


as  well  as  the  rest.  Some  men  made  saloons  their  chief 
resort  and  played  cards  and  drank  whi&key,  for  the  two 
seemed  to  be  twin  brothers,  and  thereby  many  young: 
men  were  led  astray  and  made  to  travel  a  downward 
path. 

One  day  I  wanted  to  get  a  book  from  the  circulating 
library  and  had  to  go  into  a  saloon  to  obtain  it.  Just  as  I 
stepped  in  the  sheriff  and  judge  with  some  others  went 
to  the  bar  for  a  drink  and  the  saloon  keeper  said,  "come, 
parson,  have  a  drink  with  us  and  show  yourself  social 
for  you  have  never  tasted  liquor  since  you  came  among 
us/' 

"You  know,  Mr.  W,"  I  replied  "If  I  should  walk  up 
to  that  bar  and  take  a  drink  with  you  men  that  the  re- 
spect you  have  for  me  as  a  minister  of  Christ  would  all 
vanish  in  a  moment  and  you  would  be  ready  to  say  you 
never  wanted  me  to  preach  to  you  again  for  you  are  not 
fit  for  such  work." 

"Parson,"  said  the  saloon  keeper,  "hold  on  until  I 
give  these  men  their  drams  and  then  1  will  talk  to 
you." 

After  they  had  drank  and  passed  out  he  came  and 
seated  himself  by  my  side  and  said,  "at  home  I  did  not 
follow  this  business  but  had  a  store  where  no  liquor  was 
sold  and  I  was  a  class  leader  in  the  Methodist  church 
and  1  thought  1  enjoyed  those  meetings  as  much  as  any 
one,  but  1  was  raised  in  the  belief  that  1  could  get  re- 
ligion, as  some  term  it,  and  then  lose  it  again.  When  I 
came  here  I  found  no  opening  for  making  money  but 
this  and  I  did  not  like  it  and  am  determined  to  quit  as 
soon  as  my  stock  of  liquors  is  exhausted." 


^=^^      ^: 


Y7- 


-.r--/ 


t^.^^ 


The  cause  of  our  alarm. — page  101. 


112  SCENES'    OF     EARLIER    DAYS 


I  mid  to  him,  '*you  had  better  quit  now  for  fear  yon 
might  net  li-^e  that  long." 

"Oh,  1  am  not  going  to  die  in  my  present  calling  but 
you  will  see  me  reform  befoi'e  long." 

"You  have  a  hall  above  your  saloon,"  said  I,  "will 
you  let  me  have  it  for  church  purposes?" 

"Yes,"  was^the  prompt  reply,  "you  may  have  it  free 
of  rent  and  I  will  furnish  the  fuel,  make  the  fires  and 
keep  it  well  lighted  and  s^wept."^ 

He  kept  his  word  faithfully  as  long  as  we  had  the  use 
of  the  hall  but  it  soon  proved  too  small  to  accommodate 
those  who  wished  to  attend  and  we  rented  another  one 
but  had  to  pay  $25  a  month  for  it.  At  the  end  of  the 
month  a  collection  was  taken  up  and  this  saloon  keeper 
was  always  one  of  the  collectors.  He  would  start  the 
ball  rolling  by  giving  $5  himself  and  when  the  money 
was  counted  he  always  had  more  in  his  hat  than  any  of 
the  other  collectors. 

There  are  many  men  who  once  had  noble,  generous 
natures  engaged  in  selling  grog,  but  the  difficulty  is  they 
are  led  on  by  degrees  until  their  fallen  natures  gain  the 
mastery  over  them  and  they  are  caught  in  the  coils  of  the 
deadly  serpent  (rum)  and  are  ruined. 

The  spring  of  1863  I  made  a  short  trip  into  Idaho  to 
see  its  mines  and  consult  with  a  partner  who  had  gone 
there  before  me.  When  1  arrived  at  the  main  mining 
camp  almost  the  first  man  I  met  was  the  same  Mr.  W., 
the  saloon  keeper  spoken  of  above  and  that  had  been  so 
kind  to  me  at  Auburn.  I  found  him  still  selling  whiskey 
and  said  to  him,  "I  thought  you  was  going  to  quit  the 
business." 


8CESES    «F    EAKLIER    DAYS.  113 


Said  he,  *'Pttr»oii,  my  stock  is  not  yet  exUausted,  I  in- 
tend to  be  as  good  as  my  word," 

1  told  him  1  had  always  found  him  so  but  supposed 
be  had  forgotten  his  promise,  it  had  been  so  lon^^  sin  e 
lie  made  it. 

"By  no  in(aiis;yuu  will  still  ti.id  nit-  true.'* 

1  do  not  know  whether  he  li  i<l  toiiml  out  the  secret  (»f 
making  one  barrel  of  liquor  do  for  several  years  or  not, 
but  it  looked  hke  it. 

'*Mr  \V.,  will  you  let  nie  have  your  saloon  to  preach 
in  tomorix)wy  You  can  cease  selling  drams  for  an  hour, 
can  you  not?"     1  asked. 

"Yes,"  said  he,  *'i  could,  but  1  think  I  can  find  a 
better  mI'M'v  for  you  to  preach  in  than  my  saloon,  lint  if 
1  d<>  t'ed  you  shall  li»\.    it 

He  went  across  the  street  to  a  buildni*,'  which  was 
being  erected  for  a  barber  shop;  the  front  and  one  side 
both  facing  on  the  streets,  had  not  yet  been  enclosed, 
and  he  said  to  the  darkey,  '-How  would  you  like  to  have 
prea(rhing  in  your  new  shop  tomorrow." 

"Me  like  um  fine,  sah,  me  like  to  have  um  christened." 

Before  the  hour  for  preaching  arrived  1  asked  a  for- 
mer Oregon  uf'ighbor,  who  was  engaged  in  the  auction 
business,  if  he  would  not  go  through  town  on  a  prancing 
8tee<l  and  s|)eak  of  it  He  kindly  consented  and  at  the 
appropiate  time  he  went  crying  at  the  top  of  his  voice 
"Preaching  today  at  the  new  barber  shop  at  11  o'clock." 

When  the  hour  came  1  think  there  was  the  largest 
<'ongregation  assembled  for  v  oi-ship  that  I  ever  saw  any- 
where. There  was  said  to  be  10,000  people  in  town 
that  day  and  they  crowded  up  as  closely  as    they   could 


114  SCENES     OF     EARLIER     DATS. 


stand,  for  there  were  no  seats,  and  as  far  as  I  could  see 
up  and  down  the  streets  it  was  one  vast  sea  of  heads. 
My  voice  then  was  excellent  and  I  elevated  it  as  high  as 
I  knew  I  could  control  it.  There  was  excellent  order 
and  the  best  of  attention  to  the  gospel  message  and  1 
thought  at  the  conclusion  that  the  gospel  had  not  yet 
lost  its  power  over  the  hearts  of  men.  This  was  the  sec- 
ond sermon  ever  preached  in  the  town  and  1  hope  had 
at  least  some  good  effects.  The  next  morning  a  man 
came  to  me  and  urged  me  to  stay  and  do  nothing  but 
preach;  he  said  he  had  talked  to  a  number  of  men  and 
they  had  concluded  they  could  pay  me  at  least  $300  a 
month.  All  these  men,  who  were  so  desirous  for  me  to 
remain,  showed  by  their  countenance  that  they  were 
drinking  men  and  some  acted  like  they  had  too  much 
tanglefoot  at  the  time  they  were  talking  with  me  and 
beside  all  this  1  was  at  the  time  not  situated  so  I  could 
remain. 

A  day  or  two  after  1  leit  the  town  to  return  to  Au- 
burn two  men  went  to  shooting  at  each  other.  Be- 
fore they  had  fired  the  first  shot  a  Mr.  Jones  from  south- 
ern Oregon  ran  up  and  tried  to  separate  them,  and  as  he 
came  up  one  of  the  combatants  raised  his  pistol,  with 
the  muzzle  pointed  back,  getting  ready  to  fire,  when  by 
some  means  it  was  discharged,  striking  Mr.  J.  about  the 
center  of  the  forhead  killing  him  instantly.  This  was 
the  gentleman  who  acted  as  spokesman  to  me  when  they 
asked  me  to  remain  with  them.  It  was  said  that  had  he 
been  duly  sober  he  would  not  have  placed  himself  in 
such  a  dangerous  position.  Whiskey  sometime  makes 
men  verv  bold   and   causes   them   to   place  themselves 


SCENES     OF     EARLIER     DAYS.  115 

wlicH  (laurel  ij.  fi.iiiul,  and  lUath  overtakes  theui. 

M\  friend  Mr.  \\  .,  who  li;ul  -^one  from  Auburn,  cou- 
tiiiind  ill  the  saloon  business  lor  some  time  after  my 
\i>it.  Omniorning  he  failed  to  come  to  his  breakfast 
wilt  I)  called  and  when  tlu-v  t-ntered  his  room  tht'v  found 
liiiithad.  While  selling  hi]  nor  he  got  in  the  habit  of 
<liinkin^  it  and  he  kei)t  on  until  deliruni  tremens  finished 
lii-  •  aithly  career.  It  is  vcrv  sad  to  see  a  generous 
litartcHl  u\nn  and  one  who  niLht  !•»  \tjy  nseful  enufrtjjfing 
in  a  busiiM  >-  that  lashes  hi-  <•,  ni'^riciicr  an<l  makes  him 
wretclicd.  '1  his  miicli  I  will  say  t'oi  this  man.  1  never 
heard  him  nttei  an  (»atli  oi-  say  an  uulx-comiug  word  of 
an\  '  Ih  \\a-  iiiiif  iiidy  kind  to  the  i)Oor  and  gen- 
erous to  a  fault. 


CHAPTKi;    \\IJI. 

During  the  spring  of  18()3  there  was  a  political  meet- 
ing held  at  Auburn  and  a  man  who  \^  as  afterwards 
elected  to  congress  was  tho  s])eaker.  He  was  a  mni\  of 
fine  appearance  and  (jinte  1  n^^'^e,  but  the  most  l)itt«  i  man 
1  ever  heard  speak  on  j.nlitKs,  or  for  that  matter  any 
other  Mubject.  He  told  tht  party  opposed  to  him  that 
their  tongues  were  forked  and  that  they  lied  with  both 
forks.  1  thought  then,  and  have  not  changed  my 
opinion  since  that  time,  that  a  man  with  so  much  bitter- 
ness is  unfit  for  office  and  nmre  especially  for  congress 
where  he  had  to  npKs. nt  not  only  his  own  people  but 
all  his  constituents.  Such  strong  prejudices  should 
never  po.ssess  a  man  who  is  the  incumbent  of  an  office 
and  be  elected  by  the  people.     In  striking  contrast  with 


116  SCENES     OF     EARLIEll     DAYS. 

this  man's  bitterness  I  want  to  tell  my  readers  about  a 
politicial  meeting  i  attended  once  in  the  city  of  Stock- 
ton, the  fall  of  ls58.  The  first  speech  was  by  the  candi- 
date for  Governor  and  it  was  noble  and  refined,  not  a 
word  escaped  his  lips  but  whjit  an}'  one  could  listen  to  it 
without  a  blush  ou  their  cheeks.  After  him  Charlie 
Fairfax  came  forth  to  address  the  people,  and  from  his 
appearance  he  had  been  with  the  boys  a  little  too  long-, 
but  he  soon  steadied  himself  and  begun.  It  seemed  to 
be  a  time  when  some  parties  were  anxious  to  unite  with 
some  others  so  as  to  carry  the  election  successfully  and 
Charlie  wanted  to  illustrate  that  point  and  he  did  it  in 
way  of  an  anecdote.  He  said:  "When  1  left  Virginia 
to  come  to  California  1  was  engaged  to  be  married  to  a 
very  handsome  young  lady  and  as  1  was  coming  west  1 
thought  it  best  to  release  her  from  her  obligation.  1 
went  to  her  house  and  had  a  very  earnest  talk  with  her 
and  the  contract  was  broken,  but  before  it  was  broken 
off  he  said  he  made  her  pron\ise  three  things.  The  first 
was  that  she  should  not  marry  a  red-headed  man,  the 
second  promise  was  that  she  should  not  marry  a  Scotch- 
man and  the  third  one  was  she  should  not  marry  a 
preacher.  1  came  to  California  and  made  a  very  nice 
raise  in  the  mines  and  went  back  home.  It  was  very 
natural  for  me  to  want  to  see  the  young  lady  again.  1 
rang  the  door  bell  and  she  came  and  ushered  me  into  the 
parlor,  but  all  this  time  she  seemed  to  be  very  reserved. 
After  awhile  a  red-headed  child  came  crawling  over  the 
floor  and  I  asked  whose  it  was  and  she  said  it  was  hers. 
AA'ell,  who  did  you  marry,  and  she  said  a  red-headed 
Scotch  preacher.     That  beats   me   and   your   promises 


SCENES     OF    EARLIER    DAYS.  117 


both,  for  you  have  married  all  three  in  one." 

There  was  a  {general  burst  of  applanse  and  the  even- 
ing told  ill  Fairfax's  favor  and  he  was  elected  by  a  very 
large  majority.  It  is  said  while  he  was  the  clerk  of  the 
supreme  court  that  he  and  an  editor  had  trouble  and  the 
editor  shot  him  in  the  neck  and  while  the  blood  was 
pouring  out  on  his  assailant,  for  he  had  j^^ained  an  ad- 
vantage over  him  and  had  him  pinned  fast,  he  cocked 
his  pistol  over  his  heart  and  said,  "were  it  not  for  you 
helpless  family  I  would  put  a  l)all  through  you,  but  for 
their  sake  I  am  going  to  let  you  go,"  and  arose  and  left 
him. 

But  1  must  return  t »  the  thread  of  my  stpry  after  such 
a  lengthy  departure.  During  the  spring  of  18G3  there 
was  the  survey  of  a  ditch  made  running  back  into  the 
mountains  about  twelve  miles  so  as  to  divert  some  of  the 
waters  of  Powder  river  and  convey  them  down  to  A  uburn 
for  the  use  of  those  who  had  mining  claims.  The  email 
gulches  only  supplied  water  for  a  short  time  in  the 
spring  and  then  were  dry  the  remainder  of  the  year. 
The  latter  part  of  June  the  owner  of  the  projected  ditch 
asked  for  help  to  build  it.  About  forty  men  responded 
at  first  and  others  came  on  afterwards.  With  picks, 
shovels  and  blankets  they  made  their  way  to  the  head  of 
the  ditch  ready  to  begin  work.  In  order  to  receive  full 
pay  each  man  was  required  to  construct  a  given  number 
of  rods  each  day.  All  seemed  to  go  to  work  with  a  good 
will,  for  most  of  them  had  mining  claims  and  no  water 
to  work  them.  Everything  went  along  smoothly  until 
near  the  Fourth  of  July.  Then  some  of  the  men  wanted 
to  go  to  Auburn  and    participate   in   an   old   fashioned 


118  SCENES     OF     EAKLIER     DAYS. 


rousiiio-  jollification  where  they  could  get  more  grog 
than  they  could  in  the  mountains.  The  boss  told  the 
men  on  the  third  day  that  if  they  would  stay  and  work 
he  would  send  to  town  and  get  plenty  for  them  to  drink 
and  they  could  have  their  sport  in  the  wild  woods.  He 
knew,  of  course,  that  if  he  let  them  go  to  town  and  get 
on  a  spree  some  of  them  would  not  come  back  and  those 
who  did  would  not  be  in  fit  condition  for  work.  Alniost 
all  the  men  remained  and  on  the  Fourth  they  were  called 
off  two  hours  before  the  regular  time  and  told,  "There 
is  liquor  and  all  who  want  it  are  welcome  to  it  and  must 
help  themselves."  It  was  not  necessary  to  give  the  sec- 
ond invitation,  nor  was  it  long  until  a  number  of  them 
were  jolly  enough  and  were  singing  their  Irish  songs 
and  telling  their  Irish  stories  until  the  wild  woods  echoed 
with  their  revelry.  With  a  number  of  others  1  was 
seated  talking  about  the  day  and  how  it  used  to  be  cele- 
brated in  a  patriotic  manner  and  in  memory  of  the  heroic 
deeds  of  our  forefathers.  Men  would  come  to  us  and 
say,  "begorry,  and  why  not  take  a  little  of  the  crater 
and  feel  happy  like  ourselves  "  Every  once  in  awhile 
one  would  take  an  eye  opener  and  smack  his  lips  as 
though  it  was  the  best  thing  the  Lord  ever  made  for 
man.  It  was  during  the  ribaldry  and  song  and  laughter 
that  a  man  who  was  a  preacher  Avhom  I  had  never  met 
approached  me  and  said,  "I  understand,  sir,  you  are  a 
preacher." 

1  replied  that  I  sometimes  tried  to  preach,  but  made 
no  pretentions  to  being  great  or  understanding  all  mys- 
teries, being  only  a  common,  plain,  country  parson  and 
1  did  not  regard  this  as  either  a  favorable  time  or   place 


UNIVERSITY 


Calif 
scenes  of  earuer  dats.  119 


to  talk  about  religious  matters. 

"Oh,  well,"  said  he,  ''I  wanted  to  ask  you  a  plain, 
strai.  ht-forward  question  and  it  will  not  hurt  you  to 
answer  it  before  these  men  " 

I  still  contended  that  some  other  time  would  be  much 
better  even  to  ask  u  question,  but  as  he  was  so  persistant 
to  ask  it,  and  1  would  answer  it  as  1  thought  best  in  view 
of  the  circumstances. 

He  proceeded,  "Do  you,  sir,  know  all  about  the  Bible 
which  you  are  preaching?" 

•'No,  sir,  I  do  not.  There  are  many  mysteries  in  the 
Bible  that  I  cannot  understand  and  therefore  cannot  ex- 
plain them." 

"Then,  sir,"  said  he,  "you  ought  never  to  enter  the 
pulpit  again  or  to  try  to  preach  to  the  people." 

"Now,"  said  1,  "  allow  me  if  you  please,  to  ask  you  a 
question?" 

"Certainly,  ask  on." 

"Do  you  know  all  about  the  Bible?" 

By  this  time  the  boss  and  all  the  men  who  were  sober 
enough  were  listening  to  see  what  the  outcome  would 
be. 

"Yes,  sir,  I  know  all  about  the  Bible  and  there  are  no 
mysteries  in  it,  according  to  my  way  of  thinking,  that  I 
cannot  explain.  Ask  me  any  question  you  please  and  I 
will  answer  it." 

*'Well,  sir,  we  read  that  'Aaron  made  a  golden  call  at 
Sinar,*  can  you  tell  me  whether  it  was  a  bull  or  a 
heifer?" 

At  that  there  was  a  general  roar  of  laughter,  and  he 
replied,  "the  Bible  does  not  tell  me  and   1    cannot   tell 


120  SCENES     OP     EARLIER    DAYS. 


yoii."  Then  lie  added,  "you  are  the  toa<>hest  ease  in 
the  shape  of  a  preacher  I  have  ever  found  in  all  my 
travels."  "Well,"  I  replied  "had  you  come  to  me  at  a 
proper  time  and  m  the  right  spirit  1  should  have 
answered  you  quite  differently,  but  you  came  hoisting 
that  you  knew  all  about  the  Bible  and  trying  besides  to 
make  out  that  I  was  grossly  ignorant  and  I  conclued  the 
best  plain  was  to  answer  a  fool  according  to  his   folly." 

After  waiting  a  few  moments  he  said,  "1  want  to  tell 
you  what  I  do  believe  about  the  Bible." 

"Very,  well,  sir,  we  will  listen." 

He  then  said,  "I  believe  in  the  literal  interpretation  of 
the  Scriptenes,  that  is  taking  them  and  believing  in  them 
all  in  a  literal  sense  without  any  spiritual  interpretation 
whatever,  for  God  never  intended  it  otherwise." 

"Very  well,  sir,  are  you  willing  to  stand  by  what  you 
have  just  said." 

"Certainly  I  am." 

"Well,  sir,  I  want  you  now  to  set  a  price  on  yourself, 
before  these  gentlemen  as  witnesses,  for  1  want  to  buy 
you." 

His  reply  was,  "I  am  not  for  sale." 

"That  may  be,  but  I  do  here  and  now  insist  on  a  price. 
I  will  pay  anything  you  ask." 

"What  do  you  want  with  me?" 

"You  say  you  believe  the  Bible  fully  and  w^ant  to  take 
it  as  it  reads.  I  want  to  make  a  mill  site  of  you  for  the 
Bible  says,  'He  that  believeth  on  me  as  the  scriptures 
have  said  out  of  his.  belly  shall  flow  rivers  of  living 
water.'" 

Jndge  Myers  of  Santa  Rosa,  California,  who  was  sit- 


SCENES     OF     EARLIER     DAYS  121 

ting  by  me  and  had  been  during  the  entire  conversation 
said,  '^Parson,  put  him  at  the  head  of  the  ditch  and  we 
will  soon  be  ready  for  mining  down  at  Auburn." 

Those  near  us  became  very  much  interested  and  they 
said,  "Come,  set  your  price;  It  t  u^  have  it  quick  and  we 
will  soon  make  up  money  enou-li  nc  iIk  Parson  can  pur- 
chase you." 

"Well,  sir,"  he  replied,  'you  are  worse  than  ever,  and 
such  a  preacher  as  you  are  I  never  saw  h  fore  and  never 
expect  to  see  again." 

Said  ],  "My  fiiend  let  me  give  you  a  little  advice,  for 
1  am  a  few  years  older  than  you.  Never  approach  another 
stranger  lx)asting  about  your  knowledge  of  the  Bible, 
and  that  its  declarations  must  be  taken  literaly  and  that 
the  one  with  whom  you  talk  is  ignorant." 

As  the  men  began  to  retire  for  the  night  I  could  hear 
them  calling  out  to  him,  "Say,  there,  B.,  how  much  are 
you  going  to  charge  the  Parson?  We  want  this  matter 
settled  right  away  for  then  we  will  sleep  better  and  have 
plenty  of  water  for  mining." 

The  next  day  those  who  worked  near  hini  were  still 
quizzing  him.  The  next  morning  he  went  to  the  boss 
and  asked  to  be  payed  off,  "for,"  said  he,  "I  have  made 
such  a  fool  of  myself  1  cannot  have  any  more  peace 
among  the  men."  He  left  and  1  supposed  found  enii)loy- 
ment  elsewhere.  This  sally  was  not  all  original  for  1 
have  read  of  such  things  l>efore. 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 

Wliilr  I  lived  in  the  Powder  river  mines  wy  home  was 


122  SCENES     OF     EARLIER     DAYS. 

about  one  fourth  of  a  mile  from  town.  One  morning  1 
went  down  quite  early  for  my  mail,  which  came  in  at 
night  and  sometimes  quite  late.  As  soon  as  1  got  to  the 
village  a  friend  of  mine  said,  "Parson,  we  have  very  sad 
news  this  morning." 

"What's  the  matter  now?" 

'  'Two  young  men  were  murdered  last  night  in  a  saloon 
in  the  low^er  part  of  town." 

"I  will  warrant,"  said  I,  "if  mischief  has  been  done 
and  a  ciime  committed  it  was  in  a  saloon,  for  such  places 
are  the  hot  beds  of  crime." 

These  murders  were  not  committed  in  the  oldest 
"Mount  of  the  Devil"  but  in  one  of  the  same  kind  estab- 
lished at  a  later  date. 

The  victims  were  two  young  men  who  had  just  came 
from  the  Florence  mines  and  it  was  said  had  brought 
considerable  money  with  them  and  concluded  they  would 
sojourn  for  awhile  at  Powder  river.  They  were  from 
southern  Oregon  and  their  names  were  Larimore  and 
Desmond.  1  suppose  they  were  in  the  habit  of  playing 
cards  and  drinking  some.  At  least  they  went  to  spend 
the  evening  in  a  saloon,  the  place  which  has  been  the 
ruin  of  so  many  young  men.  Both  these  young  men 
were  armed,  one  with  a  dirk  and  the  other  with  a  pistol. 
A  small,  dark-complexioned  man,  a  greaser,  came  in 
near  the  same  time  and  remarked,  "Let  us  have  a  gam^ 
of  cards  " 

The  three  sat  down  at  the  card  table  and  commenced 
playing  and  after  they  had  played  awhile  (only  betting 
for  the  drinks)  one  of  the  young  men  said  to  the  other, 
"Let  us  quit  for  we  are  not  in  the  habit  of  playing  with 


SCENES     OF     EARLIER     DAYS  123 

men  of  his  kind  anyhow.*' 

These  remarks  so  enray^ed  the  Greaser  that  he  quickly 
sprang  to  his  feet,  and  as  he  got  up  the  others  stood  up 
also  and  he  grabbed  the  knife  from  Desmond's  belt  and 
stabbed  him  to  the  heart.  Il»  tl.ii  snatched  the  pistol 
from  Lanmore's  belt  and  shot  him  to  death,  both  men 
dying  at  the  card  bible  before  they  could  reach  the  door. 
During  the  excitement  the  murdei-er  made  his  escape. 
In  company  with  others  1  w^ent  down  to  the  saloon. 
The  two  bodies  lay  on  boards  as  bloody  as  they  could 
well  be,  with  the  same  clothing  on  in  which  they  were 
killed,  their  regular  mining  suits.  They  had  been  in 
body  fine  specimens  of  men,  weighing  about  180  pounds 
each  and  were  about  thirty  years  old. 

To  me  the  scene  was  an  exceedingly  sad  one  and  I 
could  but  think  of  the  wretched  work  caused  by  the  rum 
traffic.  We  found  the  saloon  keeper  still  greatly  excited, 
so  that  he  scarcely  knew  what  he  was  doing.  He  said, 
"I  will  starve  before  I  will  ever  sell  rum  again." 

He  left  the  saloon  just  as  it  was  and  field  from  the 
mines  for  fear  he  might  be  implicated  also  in  the  double 
murder.  No  one  ever  heard  of  the  money  said  to  belong 
to  the  two  men.  It  was  reported  that  the  saloon  keeper 
robbed  them  after  their  death  but  there  was  no  certainty 
about  the  rumor. 

At  the  time  these  murders  were  committed  there  was 
a  regular  county  organization.  The  officers  and  miners 
agreed  they  would  give  $1000  for  the  arrest  of  the  mur- 
derer. By  some  means  there  was  a  man  who  found  his 
trail  and  followed  him  into  Mormon  basin,  about  twelve 
miles  south  of  Auburn.     He  watched  the  movements  of 


124  SCENES    OF     EARLIER     DAYS. 

the  Spaniard  very  closely  without  letting  anybody  know 
what  his  business  was,  and,  of  course,  the  murderer  did 
not  suspect  there  was  anyone  watching  him.  Finally  he 
found  where  the  Spaniard  slept  in  the  midst  of  some 
ver}"  thick  brush  and  he  w^ent  there  and  took  his  station 
after  the  murderer  had  retired  for  the  night  and  was 
sound  asleep  He  kept  silent  watch  the  reniainder  of 
the  night  and  when  morning  came  the  Spaniard  sat  up 
in  the  bed,  rubbing  his  eyes  and  not  suspecting  anything 
wrong.  \\  hen  suddenly  a  voice,  as  of  thunder,  called 
out  to  him,  "Hold  up  your  hands  or  then  you  area  dead 
man." 

He  obeyed  and  his  captor  handcuffed  him  and  then 
tied  him  with  a  rope  and  with  the  assistance  of  another 
man  took  him  to  Auburn.  They  were  not  molested  on 
the  way  and  when  they  arrived  the  prisoner  was  delivered 
over  to  the  sheriff  who  fastened  a  chain  to  one  leg. 
That  night  a  guard  of  sixty  men  was  placed  over  him. 
A  meeting  was  called  in  the  morning  when  the  miners 
decided  not  to  wait  for  the.  regular  term  of  court,  as 
there  was  no  safe  jail  in  which  to  keep  him  and  it  was 
some  time  before  the  court  would  convene.  Judges  and 
jurymen  were  soon  appointed  and  the  trial  proceeded 
rapidly.  The  criminal  became  suspicious  that  they 
would  mob  him  and  had  made  arrangements  with  another 
Spaniard  to  shoot  him  if  the  mob  started  with  him.  The 
trial  ended  just  before  sunset,  about  the  time  1  had  en- 
tered the  town  and  the  verdict  of  the  jury  was  guilty.  I 
saw  a  man  run  to  a  store  and  gather  a  coil  of  rope  and 
start  with  it  to  the  place  of  trial,  which  was  under  a 
large,  open  shed  overlooking  the  town.     The  rope   was 


SCENES     OF     EARLIER     DAYS.  125 


quickly  arranpfed  so  as  to  form  a  running  noose  and  the 
man  lassoed  like  an  unruly  ox  and  twenty-six  men 
uuickly  took  hold  of  it  and  started  down  street  at  full 
run.  The  sheriff  and  his  party  tried  to  hold  him  but 
were  soon  overpowered. 

As  the  raob  started  the  Spaniard  fired  us  he  had  prom- 
ised, but  missed  his  friend  and  shot  a  man  by  the  name 
of  Butler  in  the  knee,  crippling  him  for  life. 
Some  then  started  after  the  one  who  did  the  shooting 
and  ran  him  several  miles,  but  he  being  a  very  speedy 
footman  outran  them,  making  his  escape  and  was  never 
seen  in  those  mines  after  that.  In  running  with  the 
murderer  they  sometimes  had  him  head  foremost  and 
sometimes  foot  foremost.  When  they  would  strike  a 
stump,  and  there  were  many  of  them,  then  he  would  be 
reversed  and  when  they  came  in  contact  with  another 
then  he  would  change  again.  There  was  no  shooting  or 
noisy  demonstrations  as  they  proceeded  but  they  ran 
rapidly  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  and  then  hung  him  to 
a  limb.  This  was  in  the  fall  and  when  the  judge  came 
to  hold  court  in  the  spring  and  learned  of  the  affair  he 
threatened  to  issue  warrants  for  the  arrest  of  every  man 
who  had  hold  of  the  rope.  The  miners  soon  had  another 
meeting  and  informed  the  judge  that  if  he  carried  out 
his  threat  his  neck  would  be  the  next  one  to  have  a  rope 
tightened  around  it.  He  concluded  to  let  the  matter 
pass  without  any  further  trouble  or  expense  to  the 
county. 


12G  SCENES     OF     EARLlEli     DAYS. 


CH  VPTbLR  XXV. 

1  propose  now  to  tell  the  reader  about  the  history  of  a 
man  with  whom  1  became  well  acquainted  with  in  the 
mines,  a  fine  scholar  and  a  refined  gentleman  when  at 
himself  fully.  He  was  born  in  what  is  known  as  the 
blue  grass  region  of  Kentucky,  a  place  famous  for  its 
nutritous  grasses  and  the  excellent  quality  of  its  beef 
and  the  hospitality  of  its  inhabitmts  as  well  as  their 
thrift.  In  a  lovely  portion  of  that  region  there  stood  a 
tine  brick  mansion,  just  outside  of  a  prosperous  town, 
containing  one  of  the  oldest  colleges  in  the  state.  The 
house  was  surrounded  by  a  gentle  sloping  lawn  of  blue 
grass  with  beautiful  gravel  walks  on  all  sides  and  these 
walks  had  tine  shrubery  and  flowers  along  their  borders. 
There  were  numerous  shade  trees  in  the  front  yard  ar- 
ranged with  nice  seats  under  them  which  were  delight- 
ful on  a  warm  summer's  day.  Back  of  the  house  was 
the  barn  and  still  back  of  it  was  the  farm  and  pasture 
lands,  all  sloping  to  the  west.  The  mansion  was  neatly 
painted  and  penciled  and  being  on  an  elevated  piece  of 
ground  it  presented  a  very  handsome  appearance  to 
those  who  traveled  the  county  road  in  front  of  it.  A 
very  happy  family  dwelt  here,  the  father  being  an 
honored  elder  in  the  Cumberland  Presbyterian  church 
and  one  who  "worshiped  God  with  all  of  his  house." 
The  mother  had  decended  from  a  noble  family,  who  had 
taken  a  leading  part  in  the  revolutionary  war,  as  well  as 
in  the  war  of  1812.  This  esteemed  couple  had  an 
abundance  of  the  world's  goods  and  were  ever  ready 
with  both  heart  and  hand  to  assist  the  worthy  poor  and 
do  good  as  they  had  opportunity.     They    were   regular 


SCENES    OF    EARLIER    DAYS.  127 

attendants  on  religious  worship  in  the  town  and  gave 
liberall}^  of  their  means  to  support  it.  In  fact,  they  were 
the  main  supports  of  their  pastor  in  carrying  on  the 
work  of  the  church.  There  was  a  prosperous  college  in 
the  town,  founded  and  carried  on  by  the  same  religious 
denomination  of  which  they  were  members,  and  Mr. 
Miller  was  one  of  its  trustees  and  miiin  supports  fi- 
nancially. Many  young  men  have  been  educated  there 
who  were  useful  as  ministers  and  many  more  have  gone 
forth  as  poHticial  leaders  in  the  state.  Our  own  stute  of 
California  was  blessed  in  its  earlier  history  by  the  good 
influence  of  one  who  graduated  from  that  school  and 
was  at  the  time  of  his  death  at  the  head  of  a  theological 
seminary,  it  was  in  the  midst  of  these  nice  surround- 
ings and  in  the  beautiful  mansion  on  the  hill  that  the 
hero  of  my  story,  a  Mr.  Miller,  had  his  birth  and  was 
reared  to  manhood. 

Jf  a  beautiful  spot  of  earth  and  noble  parentage  could 
make  men  useful  and  refined,  then  Mr.  M.  ought  to  have 
shone  as  a  star  of  the  first  magnitude  and  have  been  one 
of  the  very  best  o.  men.  He  attended  the  district  school 
until  he  was  old  enough  and  far  enough  advanced  to 
enter  college.  After  entering  college,  being  naturally 
possessed  of  a  brilliant  mind,  he  made  very  rapid  ad- 
vancement and  was  a  great  favorite  of  the  professors  and 
of  his  schoolmates  and  the  community  generally.  His 
conduct  was  exemplary  and  his  parents  and  friends  had 
great  hopes  that  his  future  would  be  bright  and  his  sun- 
set without  a  single  cloud  to  overshadow  it.  At  last  the 
day  of  his  graduation  came  and  he  stood  at  the  head  of 
his  class  honored  and  respected   by   all.     His   mother's 


128  SCENES     OF     EARLIEK    DAYS. 

heart  bounded  for  joy  when  she  saw  the  position  he  had 
nobly  earned  and  hoped  he  would  be  a  strong  prop  on 
whom  she  could  lean  for  her  sui)port  in  her  declining 
days. 

Near  the  time  of  his  graduation  there  was  a  lovely 
young  lady  who  graduated  from  the  same  school.  She 
too  was  of  an  excellent  family  and  a  leader  among  her 
schoolmates  and  a  bright  scholar  as  well  as  one  greatly 
admired  by  all  who  knew  her.  Mr.  M.  had  been  ac- 
quainted with  her  from  childhood,  for  she  had  lived  on  a 
farm  with  her  parents  near  where  he  resided.  When 
children  they  had  gambled  over  the  blue  grass  meadows 
together  enjoying  their  innocent  childhood  .^ ports. 

He  made  proposals  of  mariiage  to  her  and  was  ac- 
cepted. The  day  for  the  ceremony  was  set,  and  at  the 
api^ointed  hour  a  happy  company  assembled  and  spoke 
of  the  marriage  as  an  excellent  one.  The  minister,  who 
had  long  been  their  pastor,  spoke  the  solemn  words 
which  made  them  husband  and  wife.  His  father  gave 
them  a  good  farm  with  a  neat  cottage  on  it,  where  they 
lived  as  happy  and  contented  as  heart  could  wish.  Not 
a  single  shadow  had  as  yet  crossed  their  threshold  and 
to  them  was  born  a  lovely  child  who  was  the  joy  of  their 
lives. 

Adjoining  their  farm  lived  a  man  who  had  always 
proved  to  be  a  very  troublesome  neighbor  and  delighted 
in  quarreling  and  back  biting  Nothing  seemed  to  please 
him  better  than  to  see  one  neighbor  arrayed  against  an- 
other and  if  it  proved  to  be  a  deadly  conflict  it  seemed 
to  suit  him  all  the  better.     His  friends  were  few,  if  any. 


SCENES     OF     EARLIER     DAYS.  J  29 


and  the  coiumunity  would  have  preferred  thut  he  move 
into  some  howling  vvilderuess  for  a  home.  He  was  cross 
and  morose  and  with  it  all  very  overbearing  in  his  dis- 
position. He  was  very  poor  and  jealous  of  the  prosperi- 
ty of  the  rich  above  him.  in  fact  a  more  unhappy, 
disagreeable  man  would  be  hard  to  find  even  within 
prison  walls.  He  was  a  most  wretched  man  and  in  dis- 
position was  ugly  in  the  extreme.  He  had  imposed  on 
Mr.  M.  until  forbearance  ceased  to  be  a  virtue.  One  day 
these  neighbors  met  and  the  one  who  'neither  feared 
God  nor  regared  man"  commenced  a  tirade  of  abuse, 
calling  the  peaceable  one  all  manner  of  names  and  finally 
mide  as  thojgii  ho  would  do  hi  u  ba  lily  hinu  but  when 
he  drew  near  enough,  the  man  who  was  so  unjustly  as. 
sailed  strtick  him,  killing  him  almost  instantly.  He  then 
went  to  town  and  told  the  authorities  what  he  had  done. 
He  was  placed  under  arrest  although  many  thought  he 
ought  to  go  free. 

At  the  preliminary  examination  he  wa?  bound  over  to 
appear  in  a  higher  court,  his  father  and  brother  ^^oinj^ 
on  his  bonds  for  $4(MK).  He  was  afmid  to  risk  the  con- 
sequences of  remainin;^  for  fear  he  might  have  to  spend 
a  term  in  state's  prison.  He  and  his  wife  talked  the 
matter  over  very  seriously  and  as  he  had  often  spoken 
al)Out  going  to  California  they  concluded  he  had  better 
go  before  the  court  met.  Uailroads  had  not  been  built 
to  any  extent  in  Kentucky  at  the  time.  When  he  de- 
paited  he  left  his  wife  in  tears,  wishing  the  difficulty 
had  never  occurred  She  bid  him  farewell  with  the  in- 
junction, "'Jo  live  in  the  future  so  that  he  would  be  as 
mt  eh  respected  as  in  the  past,  for  it  was  purely  an   un- 


130  SCENES     OF     EAKLIER     DAYS. 

intentional  act  on  his  part." 

He  made  his  way  to  New  York  City  where  he  soon 
found  a  steamer  ready  to  sail  for  the  Golden  West.  He 
purchased  a  ticket  and  at  the  proper  time  went  aboard 
and  was  soon  out  on  the  great  ocean,  tossed  by  its  ever 
restless  waves,  which  he  acknowledged  were  good 
emblems  of  the  restless  spirit  dwelling  in  him 

The  voyage  proved  to  be  a  very  successful  one  and  in 
due  time  he  arrived  in  San  Francisco.  He  did  not  tarry 
long  there  but  purchased  a  mining  outfit  and  made  his 
way  into  the  mountains.  He  soon  secured  an  excellent 
mining  claim  and  went  to  work  with  a  determitied  will. 
It  was  not  long  until  he  had  accumulated  quite  a  fortune 
and  sent  the  money  back  to  his  father  and  brother  for 
going  on  his  bonds  and  also  to  pay  his  wife's  expenses  to 
California. 

The  portion  of  the  state  where  he  mined  there  was  a 
scarcity  of  water  for  mining  purposes  but  some  very  rich 
diggings  and  with  some  others  he  ventured  into  the  sur- 
vey of  a  ditch  which  was  to  rea(^h  bad;  into  the  moun- 
tains a  number  of  miles.  After  the  survey  the  ditch  was 
built,  he  being  the  largest  shareholder.  They  expected 
the  coming  season  to  reap  a  golden  harvest  from  their 
investments  as  well  as  in  the  years  to  come.  Th  it  winter 
proved  to  be  a  verj^  hard  one  for  heavy  rains  and  winds 
and  the  ditch  and  flumes  which  had  been  completed 
before  the  winter  had  set  in  were  almost  completely  de- 
molished. 

Before  the  destruction  of  his  hopes  his  wife  arrived 
in  San  Francisco  and  accompanied  him  to  his  mountain 
home.      When  she  catne  to  her  new  residence  she  found 


I'  \t:!  Ill;    I'Ws. 


131 


l.tltln'i  c-liiircli  i.of  s;ilil>;ltli  sclioi  )I .  Imt  fomid  Siilulav  ;i 
«l;iv  of  ilriii  kiiiL;.  uaiiiMiii.L;  aihl  terrible  curousiiiL:  set 'tics 
sIm'  liatl  ii(\»r  w  it  licssctl  1m  loif.  She  eiuliiicd  tlicsc 
lmi(l>lii]>-  I't'  till'  >al)l)atli  tlav  a  little  while  and  then  he- 
II-  Inr  the  h(.nie  of  hrc  chiMh.M.d  with  its  (piiet 
ilid  times  (if  li>t  .  Her  hush.itid  >M(»il  disc(.\  ered 
h(i  urejt  di -~~it  i->fai-!  i- 'H  aiiil  hnw  iiMhaj'i»\  ^''*'  ^^■'■^  -'''" 
tin;.'  til  liean<l  kntw  \erv  well  the  caase  ol'  it.  when  he 
sMid  toller.   •'!   will  fnni'-h  vol!  with  S")(i(M)  and  pax  _\oiir 

,     W  l-h     to    -,,.'■ 

li     .x.i-   i:,  oiN    ,.:,..  M    that    It    would    he    the     h  'st      fnr 

her  to  <jo  whei..  she  eouhl  ediieite  their  child  and  iai>c 
iiim  ■  !  I      w.nt   w  ith  her  to   the  citv  and 

..,vv  ,  _,  1   -V  ,il,    ti,,.,,.     l,,\,.|v     little 

I  were    cxchanuctl 

and  -he  tiiiiM  d  if  I  far,-  losaid^  lit  r  "lA  Kentucky  lionu; 
and   Ic    t(twai'd  hi>  inouiitain  dwelhdc: 

ii'  -'-I'l  hi>  ininin;_'  clann  a',d  d.\ot.d  hi^  «  ntiii-  ener- 
'^\i  >  to  his  dlteh,  for  he  \\a>  elected  su  )  .e  n  li  t .  1  iden  t  .  It 
W'l-  tic  winter  af;er  hi>  wife  left  which  pjoxcd  s, .  di>- 
■  th.  in\.  MmmiiI  he  had  mad..  lie  ^aw  the 
la-i!   -    lio..d  -  -      .1    d,  al  o!'    the     hald^-     from 

hi--  dlteh  and   :  .      !i]ow    down   his  ihim   ^  ami 

ti'essle  works,  in  fact   he  >a\s    th<     (Ulit'    ruin,    linancialh. 


;  ....   Ic-  .Icl   Mot   proN..  the    hero     I,,,     ha.l 

been  in   folic  med    to    foj-sake 

him  iitterl\  an. .  m-  i-  i  ■  -  ;.u  , .  i  -  •  m  1 1 1  ..  n  .  i  cj  \  er\  carelessly. 
I'lhally  m  ]ii->tiineof  w  «  a  k  m  ss  aiu  I  want  of  co:ira;;e  he 
coitjd  lif  -een  oc<;  s  ojial  |\  ahoiit  sal'MMc,  Hot  drinkiii.L; 
at  llr.st  hut  <»n!_\    lookin-  on  as  a  mere  spectaior.      lk:roro 


132  SCENES     OF     EARLIER     DAYS, 


this  he  had  stood  aloft  from  such  places,  knowing  the 
evil  found  there,  but  now  he  commenced  by  little  to 
yield  and  would  take  a  dram  occasionally  to  drown  his 
sorrows.  He  had  a  little  money  left  from  his  financial 
wreck  and  the  rum  power  knew  it  and  they  determined 
to  secure  it  at  all  hazards,  A.t  the  time  he  wanted  moral 
support  the  most  he  found  himself  surrounded  by  all 
that  was  profaLe  aftd  immoral  and  that  only  tended  to 
his  speedier  downfall  and  utter  ruin.  He  drank  heavily 
for  several  years,  until,  from  a  strong  robust  man  with 
great  strength,  he  was  reduced  to  a  mere  skeleton. 

Finally  some  of  his  friends  who  had  known  him  in  his 
prosperous  days  proposed  to  help  him  if  he  would  go 
with  theui  to  the  Powder  river  mines,  lor  he  had  now 
spent  all  his  money  and  was  living  on  charity  such  as  it 
was.  They  hoped  when  he  would  get  away  from  his  old 
associates  and  get  where  there  was  no  liquor  sold  he 
would  reform  and  be  a  stalwart  man  again  and  trample 
his  enemy  under  his  feet  and  stand  erect  as  a  man  among 
men.  Between  California  and  the  mines  there  were  no 
saloons  and,  of  course,  he  could  not  drink  only  as  some 
one  would  give  it  to  him.  As  soon  as  he  arrived  in  the 
mines  he  saw  the  signifficent  sign  " Mount  Diabolo," and 
with  all  the  warning  given  from  that  sign  he  made  his 
way  thither  and  had  an  "eye  opener." 

It  was  in  these  mines  that  I  made  his  acquaintance  and 
under  rather  peculiar  circumstances.  A  man  had  erected 
a  two  story  building,  and  the  lower  portion  he  used  for 
a  dwelling  and  a  saloon.  The  front  part  was  occupied 
with  the  saloon  and  the  back  portion  for  the  dwelling. 
The  upper  story  was  used  as  a  hall  in  which  church  and 


SCKNE8     OF     EARLIER     DAYS.  133 


court  was  both  held.  I  had  the  use  of  this  hall  Sabbaths 
in  which  to  preach.  At  the  close  of  the  services  the  first 
Sunday  I  occupie<l  it,  the  saloon  keeper  and  his  wife  in- 
vited me  to  dine  with  them,  and,  as  I  was  "batching"  I 
jrladly  accepted  the  invitation.  It  was  during  this  meal 
time  that  I  formed  the  acquaintance  of  this  Mr.  Miller 
and  observed  his  gentlemanly  bearing.  The  owner  of 
the  saloon  sat  opposite  to  me  at  the  table  and  remarked, 
"that  he  must  be  in  something  of  a  hurry  today  as  he 
had  to  attend  bar  while  his  bartender  came  to  dinner.*' 
He  soon  finished  his  meal  and  excused  himself. 

A  few  moments  after  he  passed  out  a  fine  looking  man 
with  gentlemanly  bearing  came  in.  He  was  tall  and 
erect,  showing  by  his  movements  that  he  had  been  well 
riiised,  although  is  was  plainly  to  be  seen  that  he  was 
drinking.  Is  it  not  very  singular  how  soon  liquor  be- 
gins to  show  itself  on  the  drinker's  nose  and  that  he 
soon  carries  about  with  him  a  mark  as  distinct  as 
Cain's. 

After  the  lady  of  the  house  had  introduced  us  and  re- 
tired, he  said:  "Parson  1  have  not  always  been  as  you 
see  me  today,  selling  whiskey  and  not  only  selling  it  but 
drinking  it,  but  once  1  was  a  regular  attendant  at  church 
and  enjoyed  its  servives.  In  an  evil  hour  I  gave  way 
and  my  constitution  is  ruined  by  strong  drink  to  such 
an  extent  that  I  am  no  longer  able  to  do  hard  work.  If 
I  could  obtain  a  situation  where  I  would  not  have  to 
labor  ver}'  hard  1  would  quit  this  business  at  once  and 
forever,  for  I  know  it  is  wrong  to  sell  that  which  has 
proven  my  ruin  as  well  as  the  ruin  of  thousands." 

He  still  continued  the  conversation  and  said:   "There 


134  SCENES     OF     EAKLIEK     DAYS. 


was  a  time  in  California  when  I  considered  myself  to  be 
worth  between  $80,000  and  $100,000  and  I  invested  the 
larger  share  of  it  in  a  mining  ditch  and  flnmes,  which 
were  ruined  by  the  winter's  storms  and  1  was,  to  use  a 
miner's  phrase,  "broke." 

He  told  me  he  gaduated  from  a  college  near  his  father's 
home  and  that  he  married  as  nice  a  young  lady  as  ever 
graduated  from  any  school.  "But,"  said  he,  as  the 
tears  filled  his  eyes,  "1  have  disgraced  it  all  and  I  am  a 
moral  wreck  and  a  wretched  drunkard,  allowing  my  ap- 
petite to  control  me.  By  my  drinking  I  have  brought 
disgrace,  not  only  on  my  parents  and  old  friends,  but 
also  on  her  whom  I  swore  at  the  altar  to  protect  and  de- 
fend, as  well  as  on  my  darling  boy.  They  are  back  at 
the  old  home  and  I  am  glad  of  it,  while  I  am  here  a  poor, 
miserable  man  almost  ready  to  die." 

1  asked  him  if  he  had  not  courage  and  manhood 
enough  left  to  reform  and  be  a  useful  man. 

"No,"  said  he,  "never  as  long  as  I  have  to  sell  liquor 
to  earn  my  bread  and  butter.  If  any  one  had  told  me 
I  would  ever  get  so  low  as  to  stand  behind  a  bar  and 
sell  liquor  in  the  room  below,  while  a  minister  was 
preaching  in  the  room  above,  I  never  would  have  be- 
lieved it  fifteen  ^^ears  ago,  but  such  is  the  fact  today. 

He  continued  as  bartender  at  that  saloon  for  some 
time,  but  finally  got  to  drinking  so  much  that  he  was 
dismissed.  His  money  was  soon  gone  and  he  obtained 
his  meals,  at  least  the  most  of  them,  by  begging  them 
from  the  miners.  He  went  into  Powder  river  valley  and 
lived  for  a  time  among  a  farming  community  1  was 
away  from  the  camp  for  some  time    and    did    not   know 


SCENES     OF     EARLIER     DAYS.  135 

what  had  become  of  hioi.  One  (\iiy  in  November  I  met 
him  in  the  road,  but  he  had  changed  so  much  1  scarcely 
knew  liim.  He  was  so  weak  that  it  was  with  great  diffi- 
culty that  he  could  walk.  He  said  he  was  broke  and 
did  not  know  what  would  become  of  him;  he  supposed 
some  one  would  bury  him  when  he  died  and  that  was 
not  going  to  be  long.  With  the  very  deepest  emotion, 
hearing  his  bosom,  he  cried  out,  "Oh,  Parson,  can  you 
not  do  something  for  a  poor,  unfortunate  wretch  like 
me." 

He  was  going  towanls  luw  n  and  I  was  going  from 
it.  I  told  him  to  go  on  and  when  I  returned  I  would 
see  what  could  be  done  for  him.  When  I  came  back  I 
went  to  see  a  family  whom  1  had  known  from  my  boy- 
hood days,  and  it  so  happened  that  the  husband  had 
known  the  father  of  the  unfortunate  man  in  Kentucky. 
1  soon  made  arrangements  with  them  to  care  for  him 
while  he  lived,  which  at  the  farthest  would  only  be  a  few 
days,  and  1  would  make  the  best  effort  I  could  to  rsise 
money  to  pay  them  for  their  trouble,  agreeing,  if  1  could 
secure  the  money,  they  should  have  at  least  $3  a  day  for 
their  trouble.  I  assisted  him  to  his  new  home,  which 
was  with  Rev.  N.  Johnson's  family,  the  man  who 
thought  to  add  "fifteen  years  to  his  life  by  going  to 
Oregon." 

He  seemed  very  grateful  for  what  1  li.ul  done  and 
very  penitent  for  the  life  he  had  led.  One  day  1  visited 
him  late  in  the  afternoon  and  saw  thai  he  was  very  near 
his  eternal  home,  and  concluded  the  best  time  to  get 
money  for  him  was  while  he  was  yet  alive.  1  went  to 
town  (wlnVli  was  about  a  half  mile  away)  as   soon    as   I 


186  scp:nE3   of    earlieu   days, 

could  and  drew  np  a  subscription  paper  and  visited  all 
the  stores  and  saloons.  I  soon  had  money  sufficient  to 
pay  for  taking  care  of  him  and  to  bury  him  decently, 
but  in  a  very  plain  manner  as  all  who  died  in  the  mines 
were.  While  I  was  visiting  the  last  saloon  in  search  of 
money  a  gentleman  came  in  and  said  he  had  just  died 
and  that  it  would  be  necessary  to  bury  him  the  next  day. 
He  died  from  consunjption  and  rotten  whiskey  and  al- 
though the  weather  was  cool  is  was  thought  best  to  bury 
him  quickly,  for  it  was  even  difficult  for  the  family  tore- 
main  in  the  room  where  he  was  laid  out  and  houses 
there  had  but  one  room  as  a  rule.  It  might  be  said  that 
families  were  only  camping  and  expected  to  move  on  in 
the  spring. 

In  the  spring  this  famil}'  left  and  I  have  never  seen 
them  since.  The  next  day  it  was  snowing  and  blowing 
and  very  cold,  it  being  about  the  middle  of  November, 
1863.  The  coffin  and  j^^rave  were  ready  about  4  o'clock 
and  his  remains  were  borne  to  their  last  resting  place  by 
the  hands  of  his  friends.  The  grave  was  on  a  rising 
piece  of  ground  about  one- fourth  of  a  mile  southeast  of 
Auburn.  There  we  left  him  in  the  care  of  one  who 
watches  over  our  dust  till  he  shall  bid  it  rise.  This  was 
the  closing  scene  in  the  career  of  one  naturally  bright 
and  intelligent  and  who  had  at  times  noble  impulses  but 
gave  way  in  the  hour  of  temptation  and  went  on  down, 
down,  until  at  last  he  filled  a  drunkard's  grave  and  had 
to  be  laid  away  by  strange  hands.  What  I  have  related 
in  the  forgoing  story  is  the  truth  for  after  his  death  his 
papers  were  examined  and  many  of  the  facts  here  related 
concerning   him    were   learned    through   them       These 


SCE^JES    OF     EARLIER    DAYS  137 

papers  were  forwarded  to  his  old  home  in  the  east,  to- 
gether with  the  account  of  his  last  days  and  of  his 
burial. 

CHAPTER  XXVI. 

In  June,  1864,  I  concluded  to  bid  the  mines  farewell 
and  return  to  my  California  home,  having  been  absent 
more  than  two  years.  There  were  three  of  us  who  left 
Powder  river  on  horseback.  We  ciossed  Burut  river  at 
the  old  emigrant  road  where  I  had  crossed  in  lJ^51.  We 
followed  up  this  road  until  we  came  to  one  turning  to 
the  right,  just  above  a  very  hot  spring  a  few  hundred 
yards  from  our  road,  and  going  on  this  road  it  led  us 
into  the  gold  and  silver  mines  of  Owyhee.  Near  these 
hot  springs  we  saw  where  the  lightning  had  struck  an 
ox  team  and  instantly  killed  three  out  of  four  of  them. 
They  were  left  in  their  tracks,  a  great  scare-crow  for 
horses. 

After  passing  Iwyond  this  spring  and  partly  round  it 
we  eoramence<l  to  ascend  a  very  high  hill,  in  fact  it 
might  be  called  a  mountain  for  it  was  the  dividing  ridge 
between  two  rivers.  On  the  summit  of  this  ridge  we 
met  two  men  on  horseback,  when  one  of  them  said, 
"How  are  you,  Parson?  I  am  glad  to  see  you  fori  have 
been  owing  you  a  bill  for  more  than  a  year  and  I  want  to 
pay  it.  I  was  afraid  you  would  leave  this  part  of  the 
countr}-  without  me  seeing  you  at  all." 

**You  must  be  mistaken,"  I  replied. 

**No,"  said  he,  **I  am  not,  for  you  married  me  and  I 
liave  never  paid  you  for  it.     Come,  get  down  and  let  me 


138  SCENES      OF     EARLIEK     DAYS. 


rid  my  conscience  of  that  debt.  1  have  notbing  but  gold 
dust  but  will  try  to  pour  you  out  enough,  as  we  have  no 
means  of  weighing  it." 

He  intended  giving  me  $30  but  when  weighed  it  proved 
to  be  $28.  After  the  usual  farewells  and  good  wishes 
(for  even  miners  are  sometimes  polite)  w^e  journeyed  on 
and  spent  the  night  with  friends  in  the  Ohywee  mines. 
Here  we  found  a  man  with  a  two-horse  team  going  di- 
rectly to  PlacerviJle  in  California  and  he  did  not  want  to 
travel  alone  for  the  Indians  had  been  troublesome  near 
that  road  only  a  short  time  prior  to  this.  It  was  not 
long  until  we  made  a  bargain  with  him  and  1  disposed 
of  my  riding  animal  and  saddle. 

The  country  we  passed  over  after  leaving  tlie  Ohywee 
was  a  very  high  rolling  one  with  a  scarcity  of  both  water 
and  timber.  The  land  seemed  rich  enough  for  it  was 
covered  with  an  excellent  growth  of  grass.  In  our  travels 
we  found  what  had  once  been  a  forest  of  pine  but  it  had 
been  consumed  by  tire,  except  some  stumps  and  these 
we  found  were  petrified.  At  that  time  there  were  only 
a  few  houses  in  Paradise  valley  and  they  looked  lone- 
some, but  I  suppose  ere  this  the  country  is  settled  and 
Uncle  Sam  has  them  under  his  protecting  wing  and  they 
are  hoping  for  the  time  to  come  when  silver  will  be  on  a 
par  with  gold  and  the  country  not  ruled  so  much  by 
gold  bugs.  During  our  journey  we  crossed  the  Hum- 
boldt mountains  and  while  on  the  summit  we  witnesseil 
one  of  the  grandest  scenes  of  terror  I  ever  gazed  upon. 
I  had  passed  through  some  of  these  storms  of  thunder 
and  lightning  on  Platte  river  in  crossing  the  plains  and 
at  the  time  never    expected    to    see   anything   worse,    it 


8CEM£8    OF     EARLIER     DAYS  139 

mattered  not  where  ray  steps  iiii^bt  tend  But  this  on 
Huniboklt  seemed  to  be  a  concentration  of  many  storms 
and  all  pouring  forth  their  fnrv  at  once  and  in  a  verv 
small  compass.  We  liul  just  p  i-s(  d  over  the  sumnnt  of 
the  Humboldt  mountains  and  co  imienced  going  down  a 
dry  ravine  when  a  small  doiul  came  floating  along 
charged  very  heavily  with  electricity  and  rolling  thuntler. 
Soon  the  lightning  began  to  play  and  the  loud  thunders 
rolled  until  the  earth  trend)led  and  all  our  wagons  tires 
were  a  sheet  of  electric  flame.  We  had  our  flrearms  in 
the  wagon  and  all  thought  it  very  doubtful  whether  ue 
would  come  out  alive  and  every  moment  we  expected  to 
see  the  horses  struck  with  the  electric  darts  which  were 
shooting  all  around  us.  Whilr  Wwso  scenes  of  tenor 
were  being  displayed  bef(  -  it    commenced    to 

rain.  Did  1  say  commenced  to  rain?  Yes,  it  conmienced 
to  pour.  How  can  I  des<*ribe  it  truthfully  for  it  seemed 
like  we  were  all  going  to  be  drowned  as  we  traveled  on, 
and  even  after  we  had  taken  shelter  behind  an  abobe 
building,  which  was  fast  melting  away,  it  seemed  no 
better.  The  only  idea  that  1  can  give  of  that  storm  is  to 
say  that  the  little  cloud  which  came  floating  over. us  was 
like  a  cistern,  a  fourth  of  a  mile  in  diameter  and  the 
same  in  height,  filled  with  water  to  the  brim  when  all  at 
once  the  bottom  fell  out  and  that  innnense  body  of  water 
all  came  down  at  once.  In  a  f<  \\  m  inents  our  once  dry 
gulch  was  a  raging  torrent,  at  least  thirty  feet  wide,  but 
we  had  taken  refuge  behind  an  adobe  saloon  which  was 
located  on  the  ground  at)ove  the  torrent  that  went  rush- 
ing past  us.  The  saloon  keeper  saw  his  saloon  building 
melting  away  like  wax  before  a  blazing  fire  and  he  stood 


140  SCENES     OF     EAKLIER     DAYS. 


and  cursed  his  maker  for  sending  a  storm  that  had  ruined 
his  business  and  broken  his  bottles  of  rum.  Below  the 
house,  perhaps  a  hundred  and  fifty  yards,  the  hills  closed 
in  forming  a  wall  on  each  side  of  the  creek  while  the 
only  road  through  that  mountain  gorge  was  down  this 
stream  which  had  so  lately  been  nothing  but  a  dry  gulch. 
Had  we  entered  that  canyon  just  before  that  storm  we 
would  have  lost  our  wagon  and  team  if  not  our  own 
lives,  for  the  waters  rose  fifteen  or  twenty  feet  in  height 
leaving  its  mark  on  the  rocky  walls.  The  fiood  rolled 
large  rocks  out  on  to  the  Humboldt  fiat  that  must  have 
weighed  several  tons.  There  was  a  man  who  kept  a  hotel 
about  one  and  a  half  miles  below  us  and  he  had  planted 
a  garden,  which,  he  said,  had  came  up  and  was  growing 
finely,  but  the  storm  had  swept  garden  and  soil  into  the 
river  leaving  him  the  rocks  on  which  to  plant  another 
garden. 

I  was  in  the  signal  service  office  at  Washington  city  in 
1873  and  spoke  of  this  storm  and  old  "probabilities"  told 
me  that  it  was  the  second  time  that  wagon  tires  blazed 
with  electricity  and  the  occupants  of  the  wagon  spared 
so  far  as  reported  to  them. 

We  passed  through  Virginia  and  Carson  cities  and 
went  over  the  mountains  on  the  Placerville  road.  Near 
the  summit  of  the  Sierra  Mevadas  we  met  the  stage  run- 
ning on  a  bet  of  $10,000  against  the  Dutch  Fat  stage.  It 
was  expected  this  drive  would  settle  the  route  of  the 
Central  Pacific  railroad.  The  Placerville  stage  beat  the 
other  several  hours  and  when  we  met  them  they  had  four 
horses,  two  drivers  and  no  passengers.  They  killed 
several  horses  on  the  trip  but  it  is  well  known  that  Dutch 


SCENES     OF     EARLIER     DAYS.  141 


Flat  got  the  road. 

In  connection  with  this  wonderful  display  of  nature  1 
want,  before  I  (rlose  this  cliapter,  to  speak  of  some  other 
scenes  that  1  have  witnessed  on  this  coast.  A  few  years 
ago  we  were  on  our  way  home,  after  attending  church 
in  the  city  of  Petaluma,  one  beautiful  Sabbath  day.  We 
had  gained  the  summit  of  a  small  hill  near  where  Mr. 
Se^'mour  lives,  when  we  witnessed,  not  a  scene  of  terror, 
but  one  of  beauty  such  as  1  never  expect  to  see  again. 
Beyond  us,  but  near  enough  to  be  in  plain  view  wa»  the 
commencement  of  the  watere  of  the  great  ocean,  as  blue 
and  beautiful  as  anyone  ever  saw  them.  The  waters 
covered  an  expanse  east  and  west  and  north  of  us  as  far 
as  the  eye  could  reach.  Not  only  were  the  waters  blue 
but  their  borders  carpeted  with  green  grass  which  added 
to  the  beauty  of  the  scene  before  us  Out  in  the  direction 
of  Stony  Point  vessels  could  be  seen  with  sails  all  spread 
to  catch  the  winds  which  at  the  time  were  blowing  very 
gently.  They  seemed  to  be  moving  very  quietly  before 
the  breeze.  In  the  midst  of  this  vast  expanse  of  water 
large  rocks  reared  their  massive  heads  far  above  the  sur- 
face and  the  breakers  were  rolling  and  tumbling  and 
throwing  their  foam  high  in  the  air.  There  was  not  a 
tree  or  a  shrub  of  the  many  groves  belonging  to  Mr. 
Mecham  to  be  seen,  but  all  in  that  direction  was  the 
blue  ocean  with  its  rocks,  vessels  and  breakers.  Any 
one  who  has  traveled  up  the  coiist  lias  seen  scenes  such 
as  I  have  just  described  if  h^  w;is  neir  enoui,'h  the  bord- 
ers of  the  ocean  to  look  on  it,  but  this  was  the  linst  time 
1  ever  saw  the  ocean  pictured  on  dry  ground,  .^"lome  of 
mv  readers  may  coticlndH  that  what  I  have  here  described 


142  SCi:NES     OF     HAKLIEU     DAYS. 


are  only  the  imaginings  of  some  old  crank  who  wants  to 
give  something  new  for  the  world  to  think  about.  I 
know  what  I  saw  and  there  were  two  women  and  two 
children  who  saw  the  same  scenes.  I  once  had  a  talk 
with  a  sea  captain,  who  had  sailed  in  x^hiska  waters,  and 
he  told  me  that  he  had  often  seen  large  cities  with  their 
cathedrals  and  churches  and  immense  business  blocks 
pictured  when  they  were  thousands  of  miles  from  any 
city.  How  such  pictures  are  made  1  shall  not  attempt 
to  tell  but  will  leave  that  to  men  of  scientific  pursuits 
and  attainments.  Those  who  have  crossed  the  plains  to 
this  portion  of  our  country  will  remember  the  lakes  they 
thought  they  saw  on  ahead  and  when  they  advanced 
found  nothing  but  an  alkali  desert.  1  remember  once 
in  1858  going  from  Stockton  to  San  Ramos  valley  in 
Contra  Costa  county  in  my  buggy.  After  crossing  the 
San  Joaquin  river  and  advancing  a  mile  or  more  on  the 
plains  1  looked  ahead,  and,  as  I  thought,  saw  a  band  of 
armed  men  coming.  At  the  time  there  were  places  in 
California  where  the  rougher  element  of  the  Spanish 
race  was  very  troublesome  to  travelers  and  of  course  my 
mind  cau-ht  on  that  thought  first.  There  was  no  chance 
to  back  out  for  they  would  overtake  me  before  1  could 
recross  the  river  on  the  ferry  boat.  There  was  no  house 
in  sight  on  that  side  and  it  was  twelve  miles  ahead  to  the 
first  dwelling.  All  I  could  do  was  to  press  on  and  risk 
the  consequences.  Sometimes  when  people  are  fright- 
ened they  say  their  hearts  are  in  their  mouths,  and  ii 
anything  of  the  kind  ever  did  take  place  it  did  with  me 
that  morning.  But  on  I  went,  although  my  heart  beat 
fast,  and  when  1  came  up  to  them  I   found    a    band    of 


SCENES    OF    EARLIER    DAYS.  143 

Spanish  cattle  that  hud  been  on  the  plains  feeding  and 
were  then  going  to  the  river  for  water.  Spanish  cattle 
then  were  sometimes  as  bad  as  Spanish  men  for  they 
frequently  chased  those  who  rode  in  buggies  for  miles. 
I  felt  very  much  relieved  when  the  cattle  passed  me 
without  interruption.  There  seemed  to  be  at  least  two 
kinds  of  mirage,  one  which  throws  its  pictures  on  land, 
while  the  other  lifts  objects  up  and  presents  them  in  a 
very  unnatural  position.  The  one  I  saw  near  Petaluma 
was  of  the  first  kind  and  by  far,  1  think,  the  most  beau- 
tiful. This  picture  will  never  be  erased  from  my  mind 
while  I  live. 

CHAPTER  XX  v^II. 

Well,  here  we  are,  back  in  California  again,  and  glad 
of  it  for  it  is  the  largest  state  in  the  union  for  its  size. 
Has  the  largest  trees  in  the  world  and  immense  water 
falls.  Large  caiuils  for  irrigating  purposes  and  large 
colleges  in  which  to  educate  the  youth  of  our  land. 
Large  mountains  and  large  men  of  large  brain  and  large 
enterprise.  Large,  tine-looking  women  and  handsome 
children.  .  It  is  large  and  generous  in  climate,  large  in 
fruits  and  oranges,  and,  as  a  rule,  large-hearted  people 
live  within  its  borders.  It  is  large  and  has  been  for 
many  years  in  the  number  that  needed  it  and  ought  to 
be  hung.  It  is  large  in  its  public  schools  and  its  qualifi- 
cation's for  teachinx^  It  has  large  cathedrals  and  churches, 
large  ministers  who  get  wise  above  what  is  written,  that 
is  a  few  of  them.  They  even  make  large  assertions  and 
deny  a  portion  of  the  old  Bible  which  has  proved  a  firm 


144  SCENES     OF     EARLIER     DAYS. 


foundalion  for  nations  as  well  as  individuals.  Not  only 
these  things  but  we  have  very  lar^i^e  saloons  and  very 
large  drinkers  who  look  like  bloated  swill  tubs.  We 
have  la!ge  cattle  and  large  hogs  and  large  horses.  Some 
men  do  business  in  such  a  large  way  that  the  overflow 
is  too  much  for  them  and  they  ruin  themselves  financially. 

But  in  the  midst  of  this  country  of  large  things  there 
is  a  large  amount  of  moral  and  religious  work  to  be  done 
and  let  us  look  around  a  little  as  we  are  now  back  home 
and  see  what  we  can  do  to  help  these  things  along.  One 
man  says,  "Parson  are  you  not  discouraged  to  see  such 
slow  progress?" 

By  no  means;  if  the  cause  is  God's  men  may  do  their 
best  against  the  Bible  and  against  the  cause  it  advocates 
and  they  will  stand  firmer  than  the  mountains  which  are 
our  eastern  boundray.  It  took  omnipotence  quite  a 
while  to  make  a  world  and  then  make  it  as  beautiful  as 
it  is  with  fruits  and  trees  and  flowers.  It  was  many  a 
century  after  the  promise  of  a  Savior  until  he  came  to 
make  known  God's  will  to  man  and  to  make  atonement 
for  our  last  race.  It  will  take  time  to  redeem  the  world 
and  cause  it  to  cry  out,  "The  Lord  God  omniportent 
reigneth." 

But  it  is  coming  just  as  sure  as  God  lives  for  he  has 
promised  it  in  his  word,  "For  all  shall  know  me,  from 
the  least  to  the  greatest."  Let  us  then  look  around  and 
see  where  we  can  bear  a  little  part  in  bettering  the 
world's  condition.  Here  it  is  the  church  says,  "We 
want  yon  to  be  our  missionary  agent  or  snperintendent 
in  the  bonds  of  the  Pacific  Synod  and  go  forth  and 
preach  the  go  4)el  and  be    instrumental    in   setting    idle 


SCENES     OF     EARLIER     DAYS.  145 

hands  to  work  and  8tren«(thening  those  who  are  already 
trying  to  advance  the  Master's  kingdom." 

Let  us  then  begin  the  work  by  going  over  first  to  the 
south  side  of  the  Stanishius  river  with  a  brother  to  as- 
sist in  the  preaching.  The  place  was  known  as  the 
Fagan  school  hou>e.  Then  the  country  was  but  sparselj* 
settled  and  the  inhabitants  esteemed  it  a  great  privile;;e 
to  come  together  for  worship  aTui  for  a  social  time.  But 
even  in  such  communities  as  this  sometimes  differences 
aiise  and  they  need  the  gracious  outpouring  of  the  Holy 
Spirit  to  set  them  right  again.  A  minister  had  been 
preaching  there  for  a  few  months,  when,  by  some  njeans, 
one  of  the  elders  l)ecanie  offended  and  he  and  the  minis- 
ter were  having  trouble,  and  us  each  one  had  his  friends 
it  caused  a  division  in  the  neighborhood.  When  we  ar- 
rived we  heard  of  the  difticultj  and  resolved  as  the  first 
effort  of  the  meeting  to  see  if  it  could  not  be  settled, 
knowing  that  no  relij^ous  effort  could  pros[)er  while 
the  main  members  and  leaders  were  having  trouble.  A 
meeting  of  the  two  contending  parties  and  an  elder  was 
called  and  after  prayer  each  one  was  called  on  for  a 
statement.  When  this  was  given  it  was  soon  found  that 
the  trouble  was  not  of  a  very  serious  nature,  at  least  not 
so  serious  but  what  the  parties  could  be  reconciled  if 
they  would  show  the  true  fo' giving  spirit  of  Christians. 
It  was  something  of  a  struggle,  for  human  nature  does 
not  like  to  yield  and  it  is  only  the  divine  within  us  that 
causes  us  to  forgive  our  brother  his  trespasses.  At  last 
love  conquered  and  tears  flowed  as  they  gave  each  other 
the  right  hand  of  fellowship.  When  we  met  in  the  pub- 
lic congregation  that    night    the   actions   of   these    two 


146  8CEMK8     OF     KARLIEK     DAYS. 


brethern  showed  plainly  they  had  been  reconciled  for 
they  entered  into  the  services  of  the  hour  with  a  hearty 
good  will.  Not  only  the  people  of  God  but  men  of  the 
world  said,  "After  all  there  is  something  in  the  church 
which  we  have  not  experienced  or  then  troubles  could 
not  be  settled  as  readily  as  that  had  been."  If  the  church 
wants  a  revival  of  religion  the  firtt  thing  to  be  done  is  to 
get  trouble  out  of  the  way  if  there  is  any.  Settlement 
of  difficulties  is  a  good  revival  of  itself.  We  are  tirst  to 
be  reconciled  to  our  brother  and  then  offer  the  gift  and 
the  Lord  will  hear. 

The  sermon  on  Sabbath  was  on  the  sixth  of  Romans, 
"Therefore  being  buried  with  Christ  by  baptism  into 
death;  that  like  as  Christ  was  raised  from  the  dead  by 
the  glory  of  the  Father,  even  so  we  also  should  walk  in 
newness  of  life."  The  main  theme  was  the  new  birth  or 
being  born  again  showing  that  in  regeneration  we  are 
buried  with  Christ  and  as  he  became  invisible  to  his  old 
character  after  the  work  of  regeneration  by  the  Holy 
Spirit.  As  Christ  had  new  life  when  he  arose,  so  the 
believer  arises  to  a  new  life  in  Christ.  He  is  dead  to  his 
old  character  of  sin  but  lives  by  the  power  of  him  who 
raised  Christ  from  the  dead.  The  effort  was  to  show 
that  this  chapter  did  not  refer  to  any  outward  ordinance, 
such  as  water  baptism,  but  to  the  baptism  which  is  pure- 
ly spiritual.  That  no  outward  forms  could  by  any 
possibility  save  us,  that  the  Holy  Spirit  alone  renews  the 
soul  and  prepares  us  for  heaven.  This  plain  and  pointed 
preaching  told  on  those  who  heard  any  many  through 
that  holy  Sabbath  day  resolved  to  lead  a  better  life. 

There  was  an  appointment  for  Monday    with   the    re- 


SPKNirs     (IF     KAKT.IFR     DAYS.  147 

*HH'st  t!i;it  -s  tix-  !  .,'  {)i'csfiit    With   all    others 

who  (lt•-^l  if<l  to  <M.iij:-  i  II.  M-  \\"if  (|iiitc  a  iiiiMih  'V  wiio 
attfii(l<(l  and  aft«>r  the  iraditiL;  of  the  sen  ptiirf  aJid 
[iravt-r  thi>Sf  w  Ijm  ui-^licd  ■-jMv-iii  iii-t  rih-t  iois  in  tli-.'  \v  ly 
of  -.aK  atli  III  w-'-f  1-.  .ii  ~:  -1  !(»  n-.-iipv  a  ct'i'taili  scit. 
'lilt  vr  \\i>  ii't  III  MM'I  invitation  t'lir  i\<'\\    iion- 

jii()fc>r^<»r  in  thf  kmmu  cinM-  ho'waul  foi"   prav'Ts   and    in 
strnc:i(in.       A  nioUL;  t  lu-  TiiiiMocr  w  ho  came    forward     wa-; 
a^xoiiiiu   manor    rat  In  a'   oiir    nndd  !<■  aj'  d     \\  im     said,     '"1 
have  been  a  seekei- ot'  r«lijion  the  \yiM  t\\i  ntv  \.ai'>  and 
1  have  never  found  the  S,i\i,.i  v(  t. 

Thf  in>t  rn<-t  lon-^  l;iv<  n  w  <  !»■  ot'  tlic  jiiainot  kind  so 
that  ail  (•<»nld  n  ndfr^T.'ind  It .  It  \\;i-->o(in  scry  cNidrnt 
that  the  man  of  w  lioMi  I  ~,j,c;d\.  lii>  nanu-  was  McM.r*-. 
w.i-  \.i\  n.artln-  Iviirjdom  ;in.l  would  soon  enter,  re- 
<•<  ]\  mil:  1  lir  Itajit  isni  of  t  iic  IJolv  Spirit.  As  \V(>  ]-)ass('fl 
<»n.  i^i\inL'  iii>t  i  nction>  to  ..il.tx.  lie  rose  to  liis  fc<'t  and 
^  .id  .  'I  Want  to  makf  a  coll  f  ■  -^^i(in  I  m\  n-  made  in  my 
ViU'.  (iod  for  rhri->t's  sakr  li:i-  ].ai-dom.d  mx  mus."  This 
new  l)Orn  soul,  like  all  wlio  ait  horn  auain,  dc^irctl  the 
sal\ation  of  <itlitis  ,ind  he  was  s<»on  found  tcHin<_;  others 
how  t,,  1,.  ^  '. .  d  on!  it  XV  •,.  ,,rdy  u  short  time  until  all 
wli.  -were  rejoitunL;    witli    our 

frit  nd  ill  (iiMi--  |.aidoninu  !o\f.  It  wa>-ai^Iad  hour  foi' 
all  wl.o  \\<  ic  jui-fnt  :in<l  all  wli'i  could  >in,u^  were  siuL;- 
]•  I   liaNe  jii^t    icc.i\cd  tiie  hoiinty  with    ;^li»ry    in    my 

siiid;  '■||ca\cn  caiiic  down  our  souls  to  ;_;"r<'et  and  ;4"lory 
crowned  tht  nit  rc\  ^lat,  Ha)>py  eoii)j)any  miudi  like 
jiea\cn   it>i  If 

Mr.  MtKii-e.  who  tiist  hmml  Christ  tliat  day,  was  in 
rather  j»oor  iiealth  and  not  loii;^    after  this  he    heyun    to 


148  SCENES     OF     EARLIER     DAYS, 


decline  very  rapidly.  It  was  nut  more  than  a  year  after 
this  that  it  was  plainly  to  be  seen  his  mind  was  affected 
and  it  was  not  long  until  he  was  entirely  deranged  and 
had  to  be  taken  to  the  asylum  at  Stockton.  He  forgot 
the  name  of  his  parents,  of  his  brothers  and  sisters  and 
his  old  neigboTs  and  even  his  own  name  he  did  not  re- 
member, but  to  the  very  last  hours  of  his  life  there  was 
one  thing  he  did  not  forget  and  that  was,  "God  had 
power  on  earth  to  forgive  sins  and  that  he  loved  his 
Saviour/'  He  could  tell  when  and  where  he  was  saved 
and  could  talk  about  the  meeting  on  Monday  in  the 
school  house.  On  this  subject  he  seemed  clear  and 
rational  but  on  all  other  things  his  mind  was  a  blank. 
He  could  not  name  those  who  were  present  at  the  meet- 
ing but  he  knew  he  was  there  and  that  his  sins  were 
pardoned  and  joy  and  gladness  tilled  his  soul.  He  died 
a  very  triumphant  death  praising.  God  as  long  as  he  had 
strength. 

After  this  meeting  I  went  over  to  Merced  and  held  a 
meeting  in  Merced  City  and  in  a  school  house  several 
miles  below  town.  The  elder  here  told  me  that  ministers 
had  been  preaching  there  that  men  could  "get  religion,' 
as  they  termed  it,  and  then  lose  it  again  as  often  as  they 
saw  proper.  He  asked  me  to  present  the  real  Bible  view 
on  that  subject  and  1  promised  to  do  so.  I  used  as  a 
text  "Heb.  6-19.  Which  hope  we  save  as  an  anchor  of 
the  soul  both  sure  and  steadfast,  and  which  entereth  in- 
to that  within  the  vail;  whether  the  forrunner  is  for  us 
entered  even  Jesus."  I  never  intimated  but  what  all  the 
world  believed  when  God  saved  and  regenerated  a  soul 
hat  it  was  a  work  that  lasted  forever.     That  the  anchor 


SCENES     OF     EARLIER     DAYS  149 

would  hold  amid  the  worst  storms  because  it  was  sure 
and  steadfast  and  fastened  in  Christ  the  forrunner  who 
was  within  the  vial.  1  arp^ued  that  God  was  such  a  per- 
fect workman  that  he  did  not  need  and  had  no  occasion 
to  repeat  himself;  that  when  he  made  the  world  he  did 
not  have  to  make  it  over  on  account  of  the  work  being 
deficient.  Being  born  again  was  a  purely  spiritual  work 
wrought  by  the  Holy  Spirit  in  the  heart  and  as  it  was 
God's  work  it  did  not  and  would  not  have  to  be  done 
over.  I  presented  (Jod's  promises  that  it  would  never 
leave  nor  forsake  us  and  before  I  had  closed  the  sermon 
a  good  Methodist  sister  rose  to  her  feet,  shouting,  telling 
the  neighbors  they  had  *'heard  (^od's  truth  and  that  it 
must  and  would  do  good." 

While  on  the  Merced  river  I  formed  the  acquaintance 
of  an  old  pioneer  and  he  told  me  about  some  of  the  early 
days  in  that  portion  of  the  state.  He  said  the  time  was 
when  it  was  almost  impossible  to  keep  hogs,  cattle  or 
horses.  There  were  a  great  many  greasers,  a  mixture  of 
Spanish  and  Indian,  and  the  larger  number  of  them 
would  steal  whenever  they  could.  He  said,  "The  citi- 
zens, what  few  they  were,  had  to  organize  for  self  pro- 
tection or  then  leave  the  country."  Whenever  they  found 
one  of  these  greasers  had  stolen  stock  in  his  possession 
they  either  shot  him  down  in  his  tracks  or  left  him 
swinging  to  the  limb  of  a  tree  as  a  warning  to  others. 
He  said  he  chased  and  shot  them  down  with  just  as 
little  compunctions  of  conscience  as  he  ever  did  a  prarie 
wolf  or  a  sheep-killing  dog.  It  may  be  thought  this  was 
extremely  rough  treatment  and  so  it  was,  but  it  became 
necessar}'  in  order  to  save  life  and  property      It  is  nat 


150  SCENES     OF     EAHLIER     DAYS. 


nral  for  a  man  to  defend  his  rights  and  protect  himself 
and  family  from  harn>  when  in  his  power.  It  was  the 
only  way  to  keep  property  and  open  up  the  country  to 
a  desirable  class  of  citizens.  A  greaser  who  behaved 
himselt  as  he  ought  was  safe  from  these  vigilance  com 
mittees  but  woe  be  to  him  if  he  was  found  with  stolen 
property  in  his  possession.  There  have  been  times  in 
California  when  the  people  had  to  take  the  law  in  their 
own  hands  and  administer  justice  and  when  it  had  been 
(lone  good  results  frequently  followed.  It  is,  however, 
a  bad  state  of  society  when  such  measures  have  to  be 
resoiied  to  but  when  it  is  done  scoundrels  dread  it  more 
than  they  do  the  coui-ts  and  juries.  There  ought  to  be  a 
high  regard  and  a  deep  respect  for  the  courts,  but  if  they 
do  wrong  and  clear  one  criminal  after  another  who 
ought  to  be  in  staters  prison  or  hung  for  his  crimes  or 
then  delay  the  hanging  year  after  year  then  the  patience 
of  the  people  become  exhausted  and  they  look  out  for 
their  own  interests.  With  a  great  many  of  the  rougher 
element  from  almost  every  nation  under  heaven  it  is  a 
great  wonder  that  the  people  of  this  state  have  uot  much 
oftener  taken  the  law  into  their  own  hands,  but  we  are 
glad  that  the  society  of  this  state  is  as  good  as  it  is  and  1 
can  see  improvement  more  or  less  every  year. 

Human  life  is  more  sacred  than  it  used  to  be  and  so 
are  the  rights  of  property.  Drinking  is  not  as  respect- 
able as  it  used  to  be  but  there  is  still  abundant  evidence 
that  man  is  a  sinner  and  that  his  nature  must  be  changed 
before  he  is  prepared  to  dwell  where  there  is  no  sin  to  be 
found.  Advancing  in  morals  is  very  slow  work  but  as 
long  as  it  keeps  moving  along  encouragment  should  be 
given. 


SCENES     OF     EARLIER     DAYS.  151 


CHAPTER  XXVIII. 

1  was  living  once  on  a  public  road  leading  into  the 
city  of  Santa  Rosa.  Tho  road  at  that  time  had  never 
l)(j  II  worked  to  good  athaiiia^o  and  in  tlie  winter  time 
it  was  in  a  very  bad  condition,  especially  after  a  rain 
storm.  Extending  from  where  we  lived  towards  town 
for  at  least  a  few  hundred  yards  had  never  been  graveled 
and  there  were  some  low  places  in  it.  These  low  places 
were  sometimes  a  foot  in  depth  and  very  miry  on  ac- 
count of  constant  travel,  and  wagons  fre(]uently  stuck 
fast  and  had  to  be  helped  out.  One  morning  a  wagon 
loaded  with  fish  came  along  just  as  we  were  going  out 
to  the  barn  to  milk  and  the  driver  was  swearing  terribly 
at  his  horses  so  as  to  help  them  pull  the  wagon  through 
the  mud.  1  said  to  my  companion,  "That  man  ought  to 
stick  fast  in  the  mud  for  u-i ML  such  ugly  language  as 
that."  The  words  were  not  imich  more  than  out  of  my 
mouth  when  sure  enough  the  wagon  was  fast  in  the  mud 
and  his  team  could  not  pull  it  out. 

Just  as  we  finished  milking  he  came  for  help.  I  told 
him  I  would  assist  him  on  one  condition.  "Well,"  said 
he,  "name  it  quick,  for  I  oug'ht  to  be  in  town  selHng  my 
fish." 

I  told  him  the  condition  was  that  he  was  never  to 
swear  in  passing  my  place  and  not  to  swear  a  single  oath 
while  I  helped  him  out  of  the  mud  hole. 

"Come  on,"  said  he,  "it  is  all  right  1  will  do  that 
much." 

When  we  came  to  his  wagon  we  took  all  the  fish  out 
for  they  were  in  baskets  and  carried  them  across  the 
mud  hole  and  then  took  some  rails  and  raised  the  wheels. 


152  SCENES     OF     EARLIER     DAYS. 


I  took  hold  of  the  lines  and  commanded  the  horses  to 
go,  but  no,  they  were  stalled  and  discouraged  and  very 
poor.  Finally  1  told  him  he  had  better  drive  his  own 
team  as  he  was  used  to  them.  He  took  hold  of  the 
lines  and  urged  them  to  go,  but  not  a  pound  would  they 
pull.  He  stood  still  for  a  few  moments  and  seemed  to 
be  in  a  very  serious  study  for  he  knew  he  was  losing  the 
early  sale  of  his  tish.  Finally,  with  sorrow  depicted  in 
his  countenance,  while  he  looked  at  me  very  intently 
and  with  a  smile,  said,  "See,  here.  Mister,  you  have  got 
to  let  me  swear  once  or  we  will  never  get  out  of  this 
mud  hole." 

**No,  sir,"  said  1,  "I  shall  not  give  you  any  such 
privilege.  You  know  what  you  promised  and  if  you 
violate  jour  word  it  is  at  your  own  risk  and  not  my 
fault." 

"Well,"  said  he,  "whether  you  consent  to  it  or  not  I 
must  swear,"  and  he  uttered  a  tremendous  oath,  when 
the  team  took  the  wagon  out  with  but  little  effort.  After 
he  was  out  of  his  difficulty  and  the  fish  were  placed  in 
the  wagon  again,  he  asked,  "How  much  do  I  owe  you, 
sir." 

I  told  him  I  never  charged  a  man  anything  for  help- 
ing him  out  of  a  difficulty  like  that. 

"You  have  earned  something  working  in  this  mud  and 
here  are  two  rock  cod  for  your  breakfast." 

1  thanked  him  and  he  drove  on  to  town  and  although 
he  passed  frequently  after  this  I  never  heard  him  swear 
any  more.  He  told  me  afterwards  that  morning's  work 
made  him  think  more  about  the  sinfullness  of  swearing 
and  tlie  folly  of  using  an  oath  at  all  than  anything  that 


SCENES    OF    EARLIER    DATS.  153 


had  ever  happened  to  him.  He  said  his  team  pulled 
better  without  swearing  than  they  ever  did  with  it.  Some 
men  seem  to  think  that  others  will  not  consider  them  as 
being  in  earnest  unless  they  clinch  it  with  an  oath  strong 
enough  to  make  one  shudder  to  hear  it.  If  a  man  tells 
me  of  some  incident  with  which  he  was  familiar  and 
then  closes  his  story  with  an  oath  so  as  to  fasten  it  tight, 
as  he  supposes,  I  begin  at  once  to  doubt  whether  he  has 
told  me  the  truth  about  it.  Some  men  say,  **I  swear 
and  do  not  know  it."  If  this  is  true  you  must  have  in- 
dulged in  the  habit  for  a  long  time.  Bad  habits  should 
cease  immediately  for  they  are  neither  good  manners  nor 
good  sense. 

1  was  once  traveling  with  a  number  of  men  on  horse- 
back and  among  them  was  a  man  who  was  swearing 
terribly  and  everj'  little  while  calling  on  God  to  damn 
his  soul.  Finally  I  said  to  him,  "Why  not  stop  swear- 
ing by  your  Creator  and  swear  by  your  own  father  whom 
you  serve  so  faithfully." 

**Who  is  mv  father,"  said  he. 

I  told  him  the  devil  was  and  that  he  was  employed  by 
him  to  do  his  dirty  ugly  work.  God  never  taught  you  to 
swear. 

He  said,  **I  wonder  how  that  would  work,"  and  then 
he  commenced  to  use  the  name  of  the  devil  in  the  place 
of  God,  his  maker.  The  swearing  was  so  awkward  that 
the  entire  company  roared  with  laughter;  but  such  was 
his  habit  he  kept  on  in  the  old  style.  I  have  heard  some 
men  swear  when  it  did  not  seem  so  rough  as  it  did  with 
others. 

I  remember  a  good-natured  Irishman  who  came  to  my 


154  SCENES     OF    EARLIER     DAYS. 

house  one  day  with  potatoes  for  sale.  At  that  time  he 
only  delivered  one  sack  and  promised  the  other  before 
long.  How  often  after  that  he  passed  to  Santa  Rosa  with 
potatoes  1  do  nat  know  but  one  thing  1  do  know,  he 
failed  to  bring  me  a  sack  at  all  that  year.  The  next 
season,  after  he  had  raised  another  crop,  and  I  had  al- 
most forgotten  the  transaction,  1  looked  towards  the 
front  gate  one  day  and  saw  a  man  advancing  toward  me 
with  a  sack  on  his  back,  when  he  called  out,  "Hay,  there 
mister,  did  3'ou  think  I  was  going  to  hell  wid  a  sack  of 
sjjuds  on  my  back." 

I  confess  I  had  to  laugh  at  the  wit  of  Paddy  for  once, 
even  if  he  was  a  little  profane.  Poor  fellow,  he  dropped 
dead  from  his  horse  a  few  years  ago  and  his  faithful 
beast  remained  by  hiiu  all  night,  and  it  and  his  dogs 
kept  faithful  watch  over  him. 

Now,  [  want  to  speak  of  another  California  incident  in 
which  I  was  badl}^  plagued  by  the  quick  wit  of  a  woman. 
Almost  forty  years  ago  there  lived  in  a  California  town 
an  agent  of  the  California  Steam  Navigation  Company 
who  was  known  to  be  very  abusive  and  overbearing  with 
many  who  had  dealings  with  him.  If  things  did  not  go 
to  suit  him  he  would  swear  terribly.  Many  people  had 
often  wished  that  something  would  happen  to  him  that 
would  make  him  more  humble  and  obliging  to  the  pat- 
rons of  the  company.  It  is  a  singular  fact  that  a  little 
brief  authority  puffs  some  men  up  with  pride  to  such  an 
extent  that  they  think  common  people  are  far  beneath 
their  notice.  I  have  seen  politicians  who  before  election 
were  all  smiles  and  pleasantness,  but  when  the  contest 
was  over  and  thev  were  elected  to  some  office,  even  that  of 


WENES    OF    EARUER    DAYS.  1  p.' 


«cniireor  conntable,  would  feel  so  lar<^e  that  they  seemed 
to  think  it  was  a  jjreat  condesension  to  spe-ik  to  men  of 
moderate  means  who  had  cast  thtir  ballots  for  them, 
such  should  never  hold  rtiiy  olHce  whatever  1  could 
give  instances  where  men  were  elected  and  it  caused 
them  to  swell  **to  utter  bursting*  niji^h"  to  such  an  extent 
that  they  were  lo.ithed  by  tlieir  l)est  friends.  How  often 
we  heir  the  remark  made  of  s  ich  men,  "What  a  pity  tis 
for  a  younpr  niun  of  fine  promise  to  ruin  himself  with  his 
disf^uistinfj:  bi«j^otrv,  1  voted  for  him  but  1  will  never  do 
it  ii<;ain. 

The  aj^ent  of  whom  I  speak  seemed  to  be  one  of  the 
men  who  thought  he  must  have  a  large  share  of  bighead 
just  because  he  was  the  emjdoye  of  a  rich  corporation. 
Jf  he  was  a  shareholder  in  th<»  concern  1  never  heard  of 
it  and  even  if  he  was  that  <li  1  ii<»t  authorize  him  to  act 
u^ly  witli  those  who  had  business  to  transact  with 
him. 

One  day  a  hardy  miner  came  down  from  the  moun- 
tains where  he  had  l)een  mining  and  had  some  business 
at  the  office,  when  the  agent,  as  usual,  commenced  his 
abuse.  The  miner  looked  on  him  with  mild  but  earnest 
eyes  for  a  time  and  then  told  him  firmly  that  where  he 
lived  and  where  he  had  been  raised  such  language  was 
not  aUowed.  That  it  was  not  the  remarks  of  a  gentleman 
and  he  must  (piit  it. 

The  agent  replied  very  sharply,  "That  he  was  in  tlie 
habit  of  doing  as  he  pleased  without  the  advice  of  any 
one." 

The  hardy  miner  warned  him  not  to  repeat  his  insults 
and  that  if  he  did  he  would  give  him  a   thrashing   such 


15(>  SCENES     OF     EARLIER     DAYS. 

as  he  would  remember  many  days.  He  soon  repeated 
his  insults,  when  the  miner  did  as  he  said  he  would, 
punishing  the  fellow  so  severely  that  it  was  difficult  for 
him  to  attend  to  his  duties  as  agent  for  several  days. 
The  authorities  of  the  town  were  so  glad  of  it  that  the 
man  was  not  arrested,  nor  a  fine  imposed,  but  said  they 
hoped  it  would  be  a  lesson  to  the  agent  as  long  as  he 
lived.  It  was  said  that  it  wrought  such  a  change  with 
the  agent  that  afterwards  he  was  gentlemanly  and  jDolite 
to  all  \Nho  had  dealings  with  him. 

Not  long  after  this  I  was  at  the  house  of  a  friend  in 
company  with  a  number  of  men  who  had  called,  when 
the  conversation  turned  toward  the  navigation  company 
and  how  they  were  displeasing  the  public  and  if  they 
kept  on  the  result  would  be  the  organization  of  another 
company.  1  remarked  that  at  our  town  we  had  one  of 
their  agents  who  was  abusive  and  insulting  and  that  a 
miner  came  down  from  the  mountains  the  other  day  and 
thrashed  him  severely  and  1  thought  if  he  had  another 
such  drubbing  he  might  become  a  better  man  and  learn 
to  treat  people  as  he  ought.  The  lady  of  the  house,  who 
was  and  elderly  woman  and  very  shrewd  and  witty,  had 
nothing  to  sa}-  on  the  subject  until  I  clo?ied  my  remarks 
in  reference  to  the  agent,  when  she  raised  her  hand  and 
pointing  her  finger  at  me  said,  "Go  home,  sir,  and 
thrash  him.  The  Lord  made  you  and  called  you  to  do 
all  the  good  you  could  and  if  you  can  do  good  by  thrash- 
ing him,  you  certainly  ought  to  do  it.  Go  home,  sir,  and 
do  you  duty." 

All  present  roared  with  laughter  at  my  expense  and  I 
acknowledged  I  was  badly  beaten  by  one  woman  at  least. 


SCENES  OF  EARLIER  DAYS.  157 

Eveiybotly  who  knew  this  woman  loved  to  be  in  her 
company.  She  always  had  a  cheerful  word  for  all  about 
her  and  was  regarded  always  as  an  excellent  christian. 
She  dearly  loved  children  and  they  were  always  pleased 
when  they  could  be  in  her  company. 

I  was  superintendent  of  the  Home  Mission  work  in 
the  Pacific  .synod  for  two  years  and  durinjf  that  time 
there  was  more  than  200  accessions  to  the  church  at  the 
various  meetings,  I  attended  in  company  with  other 
ministers.  During  the  same  peiiod  I  secured  over 
$4000  for  the  salaries  of  other  brethern.  In  the  month  of 
May,  1870,  1  decided,  for  reasons  entirely  satisfactory 
to  my  own  mind,  to  join,  the  Benicia  presbytery  of  the 
Presbyterian  church.  It  is  not  necessary  to  state  these 
reasons  here  but  will  only  Fay  that  1  have  never  regretted 
the  choice  I  made.  The  first  year  I  was  with  them  I  ac- 
cepted of  the  colporture  work,  selling  the  books  of  the 
board  of  publicuition.  Rev.  S.  T.  Wells  had  charge  of 
the  board's  publications  for  several  years  and  it  was  at 
his  request  1  went  to  work.  My  first  trip  was  up  the 
coast  as  far  as  Mendocino  City  and  through  the  moun- 
tains to  Little  Lake  valley  and  down  past  Ukiah,  Clover- 
dale  and  Healdsburg.  There  was  preaching  held  at 
various  places  and  some  localities  I  found  entirely  desti- 
tute and  very  desirous  to  have  services.  One  place  I  re- 
member they  offered,  if  Presbyterians  would  send  them 
a  minister,  to  give  him  $600  a  year  at  that  point  and 
there  were  other  places  in  reach  where  very  near  as  much 
more  could  be  secured.  It  was  only  a  few  years  after 
this  until  the  sawmill  at  the  main  point  ceased  to  oper- 
ate and  business  became  very  dull  and  now  it  looks  like 


158  SCENES     OF     EARLIER     DATS. 


an  old  deserted  miner's  town,  in  making  that  journej 
I  came  to  Point  Arena  one  da}^  about  noon  and  decided 
to  dine  at  the  hotel.  When  I  stepped  into  the  barroom 
a  man  (I  can  hardly  call  him  a  g-entleman)  said^  "Come 
up,  stranger,  and  let  us  have  a  dram  together." 

"No,  sir,  I  never  went  to  a  public  bar  in  my  life  yet 
and  had  a  horn  and  1  do  not  propose  to  start  in 
now." 

"Sir,  how  long  have  you  been  in  California,"  he 
asked. 

When  I  told  him  he  immediately  said  "yon  are  a  liar; 
no  man  ever  lived  in  California  that  long  without  going 
to  a  bar  for  a  drink." 

I  told  him  it  did  not  matter  whether  he  believed  me  or 
not,  that  I  had  told  him  the  truth. 

"No  sir,  you  are  a  liar  I  tell  you  for  I  know  the  people 
of  this  state  too  well  to  believe  anything  of  the  kind. 
Come,  now,  my  good  fellow  let  us  have  a  horn  together." 

I  then  told  him  and  a  number  of  others,  the  bartender 
included,  that  all  men  would  be  better  ojff  financially  and 
morally  if  they  would  let  liquor  alone.  This  seemed  to 
irritate  him  and  he  came  near  enough  to  shake  his  fist 
under  my  nose.  1  suppose  he  thought  he  would  scare 
me  as  I  w^as  among  strangers  and  he  among  his  drink- 
ing friends.  I  laughed  at  him  and  told  him  I  met  on 
this  coast  a  man  of  his  kind  almost  every  day  of  my  life 
and  that  I  was  not  by  any  means  alarmed  when  they 
made  such  approaches  as  he  did.  A  man  standing  by, 
and  calling  him  by  name,  said,  "Let  that  man  alone,  for 
he  looks  like  a  gentleman  and  I  believe  he  has  told  you 
the  truth. 


SCENES     OF     EARLIER     DA'i'S  159 


This  drew  his  attention  for  the  time  from  me  and  just 
then  the  dinner  bell  was  ringing  and  I  went  to  my  meal 
and  saw  nothing  more  of  him.  No  doubt  he  would  have 
<lone  better  had  he  been  sober.  There  are  men  who 
drink,  who,  when  sober,  are  nice  and  gentlemanly  and  I 
have  no  doubt  but  this  man  was  one  of  that  kind. 

North  ol  Point  Arena  six  miles  1  tarried  several  days 
selling  books  and  preaching  in  the  school  house  at  night. 
Little  did  1  then  think  I  would  ever  become  a  settled 
pastor  in  tliat  region  of  country  and  remain  there  for 
years,  preaching  the  gospel,  visiting  the  sick,  marrying 
the  young  people  and  burying  the  dead,  but  such  proved 
to  be  the  fact  in  after  years.  That  matter,  however,  I 
will  present  in  its  appropriate  place  and  speak  further 
about  the  journey.  During  this  trip  a  Southern  Metho- 
dist minister  was  my  traveling  companion  and  after  we 
left  Mendocino  City  the  large  timber  along  our  way 
greatly  interested  him.  Once  we  come  in  sight  of  an 
enormous  redwood  tree  growing  in  a  little  fiat  not  far 
from  our  road  and  he  wanted  to  measure  it.  He  went 
down  and  stepped  around  that  tree  and  after  making  all 
allowances  he  decided  it  was  twenty-five  feet  in  diameter. 
He  was  amazed  at  its  size  and  in  fact  1  had  never  found 
one  so  large  before  although  I  had  been  in  California 
some  time.  After  measuring  it  we  wanted  to  determine 
its  height  as  near  as  we  could.  We  concluded  it  was  at 
least  200  feet  to  the  lowest  limb  and  at  least  150  feet  to 
the  top  branch  from  that  limb,  making  the  tree  350  feet. 
When  1  was  in  the  states  in  1873  (this  is  what  we  call 
our  old  homes  out  here)  1  visited  a  sister  who  had  sev- 
eral sons  who  were  studying   mathematics   and    1    told 


KfO 


ft'CENES     OF     EARLIER     DAYS, 


tlieui  that  [  saw  one  tree  in  Califarnia  that  wonki 
fence  in  tlieir  entire  farm  of  32  '  acres  and  div  de  it  off 
into  forty  acre  lots  and  bnild  them  a  good  house  and 
barn.  "Uncle/' tbey  exclaimed,  ''if  we  did  not  know 
you  to  be  a  truthful  man  we  could  not  ix)ssibly  believe 
that  stor3\" 

"Well,"  said  1,  *'you  can  have  a  test  of  it  giving  the 
size  and  heig'ht  of  the  tree.  Now.  saw  off  the  butt  cut 
and  take  one-eighth  of  it  and  see  how  many  pickets  it 
would  make  1x4  inches,  six  feet  long..  . 

They  had  only  figured  a  little  while  when  they  ex- 
claimed, "It  will  fence  two  such  places  and  build  two 
houses  and  barns." 

There  is  a  large  church  in  Santa  Ko>a  built  entirely 
from  one  tree  and  it  a  very  small  one  compared  to  the 
one  we  saw.  We  have  a  perfect  right  to  speak  of  large 
things  in  this  state  for  they  are  realities.  Even  our  taxes 
are  enormously  large  with  but  little  to  show  for  them. 
We  are  a  long'  ways  ahead  of  most  of  the  states  for  we 
even  tax  churches,  making  them  pay  whether  they  have 
an  income  sufficient  or  not.  After  we  left  the  big  tree 
we  found  we  were  not  going  to  be  able  to  reach  Little 
Lake  valley  that  night  and  that  we  were  out  in  the 
mountains  without  a  house  to  be  seen  or  a  blanket  to 
shield  us  from  the  cold,  for  it  was  the  month  of  October 
and  quite  chilly,  and  no  grass  for  our  horses  and  not  a 
match  to  strike  fire  with.  ^Ve  i)ressed  on  until  after 
sundown  when  we  came  to  the  crossing  of  Big  river  and 
there  we  found  about  thirty  people  out  on  a  picnic. 
They  had  been  there  several  days  and  had  caught  a  fine 
lot  of  trout  and  killed  a  number  of  deer.     They  came 


■SCKSES     OF     EAKLItR     DAYS.  101 

fruui  MeiidtK-ino  City  and  were  well  supplied  with  pro- 
visions. 1  selected  the  man  who  I  thought  was  the 
leader  and  as  1  had  some  Califorjiia  brass  in  my  face,  at 
least  more  than  my  traveling  companion,  who  had  only 
l)een  in  the  stite  a  few  months,  1  walked  up  to  him  and 
required,  "Can  we  stay  all  night  with  you,  for  we  are 
caught  here  without  food  or  blankets.  We  expected  to 
make  Little  Lake  but  we  cannot  do  it." 

**Certainly,  gentleman,  just  w.du  in  and  make  your- 
Helves  at  home.* 

The  mam  whom  1  approached  first  said,  "I^idies,  stand 
\yack,  for  1  am  going  to  get  these  gentleman  their  supper; 
they  have  been  traveling  all  day  without  any  thing  to 
eat  and  are  very  hungrj/' 

We  unharnessed  the  tea  .•  and  he  said,  "there  is  plenty 
of  hay;  you  will  not  Hud  any  grass  near  here  so  help 
yourselves." 

SrM)n  it  was  announced  that  supper  was  ready  and  as 
J' MM  I  I  one  as  any  one  need  want.  We  had  trout  and 
vension  for  meat  and  we  had  pie  and  take,  with  tea  in 
abundance.  After  the  supper  was  over  they  arranged 
for  the  children  a  kind  of  sabbath  school  concert  and 
theater  mixed  and  had  the  exercises  interspersed  with 
some  good  music.  .\n)ong  the  singers  my  traveling 
companion  sang  a  solo  to  their  great  delight  and  amuse- 
ment. The  wild  woods  echoed  and  reechoed  with  the 
evenin-'s  entertainment  and  even  the  owls  joined  in  the 
chorus,  saying,  "who,  who,  haw  at  us.'*  It  had  been 
a  green  sjkH  to  me  in  life's  pilgrimage  ever  since.  It  was 
truly  a  night  of  real  rich  enjoyment.  The  next  morning 
I  thought  that  it  woidd   be    nothing   but    right    to    pay 


162  SCENES    OF     EARLIER    DAYS. 

them  for  their  trouble,  but,  no,  they  would  not  hear  to 
it  and  we  thanked  them  kindly  and  the  leader  s  lid, 
''gentlemen,  if  you  ever  pass  this  way  again  and  find  us 
here  you  will  be  perfectly  welcome  to  remain  over  night 
with  us." 

"A  friend  in  need  is  a  friend  indeed,"  so  says  the  old 
adage  and  we  found  it  so  that  night  with  all  the  good 
things  they  gave  us,  for  it  was  not  only  plenty  for  our- 
selves and  horses  but  also  a  good  bed  on  which  to  rest 
I  have  often  wished  1  had  a  picture  of  that  camp  just  as 
as  it  was  that  night  in  the  wild  woods  of  Mendonno 
county,  I  can  still  see  that  pleasant  company  and  how 
the  children  enjoyed  the  evening  as  well  as  older  people 
I  can  see  the  vension  hanging  to  the  trees  and  the  nice 
trout  in  pans  ready  for  the  morning's  meal.  I  can  still 
see  that  merry  company  as  they  would  occasionally  burst 
out  in  laughter  at  the  comical  speech  of  some  child  and 
greet  it  with  rousing  cheers.  I  believe  it  is  true  "that  a 
little  fun  now  and  then  is  relished  by  the  best  of  men." 
No  one  wants  to  go  with  a  long  sad  face  al  a  ays  as 
though  the  Lord  had  forgotten  them  and  the  last  friend 
they  had  on  earth  was  either  dead  or  about  to  die.  God 
never  intended  us  to  go  all  the  time  with  long  and  sol- 
emn faces  but  he  wants  us  to  enjoy  life  in  a  sensible  way 
and  with  it  be  joyful  to  him.  There  are  times  when  sad- 
ness enters  the  heart  and  the  design  is  that  we  may  be 
benefitted  by  it  but  we  can  be  greatly  benefitted  by  our 
times  of  joy  and  of  rejoicing  as  well. 

The  next  place  we  came  to  of  much  importance  was 
Little  Lake  valley,  a  valley  out  in  the  mountMins  sur- 
rounded with  timber.     Here  we  tarried  for  the  Sabbath 


EXFtRIENCES     OF     WKSTERN     LIFE.  1G3 

and  preached  for  them,  the  Baptists  kindly  giving  us 
the  use  of  their  church.  They  have  now  quite  a  vilhige 
in  the  valley  called  Willits.  Jn  its  early  history  this 
valley  witnessed  some  terrible  tragedies,  one  in  which 
six  or  seven  men  were  killed  in  one  day,  but  these  days 
are  passed  and  the  civilizing  and  refining  influences  of 
the  gospel  has  come  among  the  inhabitants  to  remain 
and  lift  them  up  and  to  stay  with  them  so  they  can  and 
will  appreciate  life. 

After  returning  home  I  made  another  journey  to  ChH- 
stoga,  a  town  situated  at  the  head  of  Napa  valley  in 
Napa  county.  Here  they  had  no  minister  but  were  very 
anxious  to  have  preaching.  I  also  went  to  Tomales  on 
the  coast  in  Marin  <-onnty  and  found  they  had  a  good 
church  building,  but  no  one  to  preach  in  it.  I  resigned 
my  work  as  colportuie  and  resolved  to  devote  all  my 
energies  to  the  two  places  above  named.  It  was  not  long 
until  there  was  a  church  organized  at  Calistoga  and  a 
subscription  started  for  a  church  building.  After  a  few 
month  s  work  there  I  gave  that  point  up  to  the  brother 
occupying  St.  Helena  as  Tomales  had  decided  that  I 
must  preach  there  every  Sabbath  There  was  no  church 
organized,  neither  a  Sabbath  school  and  when  the  trus- 
tees were  about  to  make  arrangements  lor  permanent 
work  they  told  me  there  was  a  debt  of  $2500  on  the 
building.  They  had  built  one  house  and  it  had  burned 
down  and  in  building  the  second  one  they  were  involved 
in  the  amount  named  above.  They  said  they  wanted 
me  to  know  how  things  were  and  then  I  would  know 
better  what  to  do  and  how  to  manage.  Tin  s(  tmatees, 
without  anj'  exception,  were  not  members  ol  the  church 


164  EXPERIKNCHS     OF     WESTERN     LIFE. 

but  good  business  men  to  work  with.  1  told  them  1  was 
ver^'  hard  to  discourage  when  1  entered  on  a  work  with 
a  full  and  clear  understanding.  "Now,"  said  1,  "will 
you  take  hold  and  work  with  me  until  that  debtispaid.  ' 
They  said  they  would.  The  house  had  never  been  dedi- 
cated. 1  wrote  to  Mr.  Hemphill,  now  Dr.  Hemphill,  to 
come  up  and  preach  the  sermon,  which  he  did,  and  after 
the  sermon  there  was  more  than  $1{J00  secured  by  sub- 
scriptions and  cash.  Then  the  church  erection  board 
gave  $600  and  the  trustees  managed  the  remainder  so 
that  it  was  soon  announed  that  the  church  was  out  of 
debt.  I  should  have  said  that  before  this  we  organized 
a  church,  with  I  think,  fifteen  members  and  also  a  Sab- 
bath school  had  been  organized  and  was  doing  good 
work.  There  was  no  parsonage  and  all  said,  "let  us 
build  one  and  then  our  work  will  be  more  permanent,  as 
our  minister  will  then  live  with  us." 

The  ladies  held  a  fair  and  festival  an<l  cleared  $1100 
and  I  got  all  the  hauling  necessary  promised,  together 
with  a  good  reduction  on  the  price  of  lumber.  It  was 
not  long  until  the  parsonage  was  completed  and  the  par- 
son and  his  family  in  it. 

At  the  spring  meeting  of  presbytery  in  1878  I  was  ap- 
pointed as  commissioner  to  the  general  assembly,  which 
met  in  Baltimore. 

After  I  decided  to  preach  every  Sabbath  at  Tomales 
and  finding  there  was  so  many  of  them  engaged  in  dairy- 
ing they  concluded  that  an  evening  appointment  would 
not  suit  them  and  that  I  could  be  free  to  go  where  I 
pleased.  I  established  an  afternoon  appointment  at 
Bloomfield,  seven  miles  away,  and  kept   it    up   while    I 


EXPERIKNCES     OF     WESTERN     LIFE.  165 

continued  to  preach  at  Toinales.  It  was  never  my  privi- 
lege to  preach  to  a  more  whole-souled  people  than  I 
found  at  Tomales.  They  were  willing  to  pay  a  good 
salary,  and  were  regular  in  their  attendance  at  church 
wliether  they  were  members  or  not.  During  my  stay  of 
three  years  among  them  1  think  there  were  about  twenty - 
five  additions  to  the  church  and  the  debt  paid  and  a  par- 
sonage built. 

I  went  to  Bloomfield  after  leaving  Tomales.  There 
was  a  fine  church  building,  which  was  erected  mainly 
by  a  Mr.  Henry  Hall  (who  was  not  a  member  of  the 
church  at  the  time)  but  was  not  finished  inside  All  of 
the  members  who  live<l  there  were  then  connected  with 
the  Big  Valley  church  at  Valley  Ford,  four  miles  away, 
but  has  since  been  organized  into  a  seperate  church.  It 
wap  not  long  until  the  church  was  finished  and  all 
seemed  to  rejoice  in  it.  A  short  time  after  we  moved  to 
Bloomfield,  a  ('atholic  friend  of  mine  said  to  me,  "1 
want  to  ask  you  a  question  and  I  would  like  to  have  it 
answered." 

•  Yes,"  1  said,  "1  will  answer  it  with  the  greatest  of 
pleasure,  if  I  can.*' 

He  then  said,  "When  you  lived  and  preached  at  To- 
males the  people  all  kept  sober  on  the  Sabbath  and  were 
very  orderly,  but  when  we  (that  is  the  Catholics)  had 
services,  they  were  drinking  and  sometimes  we  had 
fights  and  occasionally  a  horse  race.  We  never  had  the 
good  order  you  did.  Now,  I  want  to  know  why  there 
was  that  difference  in  the  order  of  the  two  days." 

**1  suppose  you  want  me  to  give  you  an  honest  an- 
swer/' 


16(5  EXPERIHNCES     OF     WESTERN     LIFE. 


"Certainly,  1  do." 

"I  know  of  no  other  reason  than  this,  that  our  religion 
and  the  morals  we  advocate  are  better  than  yours." 

Said  he,  "1  will  be  equally  honest  and  will  say  that  I 
believe  you  have  told  the  truth.  Many  a  Sunday  have  1 
watched  jour  people  and  seen  their  good  deportment 
and  know  that  it  far  surpassed  ours." 

For  live  years  and  a  half  while  I  preached  at  Bloom- 
tield  1  also  preached  every  two  weeks  at  the  Dunham 
school  house  or  Stony  Point.  While  living*  at  Bloom- 
field  there  was  a  series  of  meeting  held,  not  by  evangel- 
ists, but  the  local  pastors  and  one  Sunday  we  received 
twenty-six  into  the  church.  Had  it  not  been  for  the 
many  removals  there  would  have  been  a  strong  church 
there  numerically  but  they  have  gone  to  various  portions 
of  the  state  until  now  there  are  but  few  left  to  support 
it.  It  was  difficult  then  to  manage  finances  and  now  it 
is  much  more  difficult,  having  all  been  caused  by  deaths 
and  removals,  but  the  field,  with  all  these  drawbacks,  is 
still  occupied  and  it  is  fondly  hoped  the  efforts  will  yet 
be  crowned  with  success.  I  think  during  my  stay  of 
seven  years  (that  is  preaching  there  seven  years)  there 
were  about  forty  accessions  to  the  church. 

The  spring  of  1871)  a  small  church,  which  had  been 
previously  organized  at  Point  Arena,  requested  me  to 
visit  them  with  the  object  in  view  of  a  permanent  pastor- 
ate. I  went  and  held  a  meeting  for  them  and  as  matters 
were  arranged  satisfactory'  I  decided  to  move  there. 
There  were  difficulties  to  overcome  that  I  had  never  en- 
countered before.  I'he  minister  who  preceeded  me  had 
not  acted  as  a  minister  of  the  gospel   should   and    this, 


KXPEIUENCE8     OF     WISH  UN     MFE.  167 

together  with  the  drinking  habit  of  the  people,  made  it 
a  hard  fieUl  but  I  re^olvf-d  to  try  it  in  the  strength  of 
him  who  said,  "1  will  ii<  v(  i  leave  nor  forsake  thee." 
Tlic  ricld  was  about  thirty  miles  long  reaching  up  and 
<l.»uii  the  coast,  up  as  far  as  I'.ridgeport  and  down  as  far 
UN  (111  ilila.  1  found  it  \t  iv  hard  work  traveling  on  the 
(•oust  for  sonictiiiu's  the  wind  blew  so  hard  that  it  would 
send  the  gravel  tlying  into  my  face  until  it  would  sting 
witli  i.iiii  1 11  order  to  supply  the  field  1  had  to  preach 
frequently  three  times  on  Sunday  and  travel  thirty 
miles.  The  church  had  no  house  of  worship  in  all  the 
ti»  ].]  1  lit  \  li.l  own  a  parsonage  but  it  was  in  an  un- 
tini^lit.l  coiHlitioii.  There  were  foundations  to  be  laid 
aii«l  li')n-»>  lioih  spiritual  and  temporal  to  be  erected 
and  it  wa^  .Ap.cttd  tliat  tlic  piisoii  would  at  least  lead 
the  was  in  the  temporalities  of  the  church  as  well  as  in 
its  spiritual  affairs.  I  commenced  prea-  hi n;^  in  Point 
Art'         '  !^7i>.  and  was   installed   as   pastor   in 

Jum     .  :..     -  year.     Services  were  held  in   a   small 

room  in  town,  too  small  to  accomodate  those  who  wished 
to  attend,  and  it  was  not  l«)n^^  nntil  we  purchased  the 
lower  story  of  the  Masonic  hall  and  it  was  fitted  up  for 
church  purposes  and  i^  ^till  in  use.  I  found  the  people 
in  my  new  tiehl  of  labor  ready  and  wiUing  to  respond  to 
the  calls  mad*  upon  them  for  money  to  carry  on  church 
work.  At  Mancliester  the  Metlmdists  had  a  house  of 
worship  as  well  as  at  Point  Arena  but  the  Presbyterians 
had  always  occupied  the  school  house,  why  I  did  not 
know.  W  h.  II  I  commenced  work  there  the  Methodists 
wantfctl  me  to  occupy  the  church  and  the  Presbyterians 
the  school  house  and  both  parties  came  to  me  about  the 


1(>8  EXPERIENCES     OF     WKSTERN     LIFE. 

matter  and  I  told  them  I  had  nothing  to  sa^'  about  it, 
that  1  did  not  come  there  to  enter  into  a  quarrel  the  first 
thing,  that  1  was  employed  by  the  Presbyterians  to 
preach  to  them  and  if  they  said  the  preaching  should  be 
in  the  school  house  or  under  a  pine  tree  that  was  the 
place  where  1  was  going.  The}'  voted  unanimously  for 
the  school  house  and  as  lojig  as  1  preached  for  them 
services  were  held  there.  Since  1  left  them  they  have 
built  a  neat  church  and  seem  to  be  quite  prosperous.  At 
Bridgeport  services  have  always  been  held  in  a  school 
house.  At  Gualala  we  commenced  in  a  hall  that  was 
used  for  politicial  purposes  and  dancing,  good  templars, 
etc.  It  was  not  long  until  there  was  a  small  neat  church 
erected  through  the  influence  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hay  ward, 
they  paying  for  the  most  of  it.  Mr.  H.  was  one  of  the 
principal  owners  of  the  mill  and  saw  the  good  influence 
churches  had  on  the  men  in  his  emplo}'. 

The  time  had  been  when  at  the  mills  and  logging- 
camps  hundred  of  men  had  been  employed  but  all  the 
mills  of  that  portion  of  the  country  extending  from 
Gualala  to  Bridgeport  are  now  closed,  save  the  one  at 
Gualala.  This  one  still  seems  to  be  prosperous  and 
there  is  still  an  immense  body  of  redwood  and  pine  up 
the  river  that  can  be  floated  down. 

The  greatest  draw  back  to  churcli  work  in  that  field 
I  found  to  be  the  rum  power.  Men  were  bold  and  im- 
pudent and  some  of  them  made  fortunes  selling  whiskey. 
Sunday  was  the  great  drinking  and  gambling  day  of  the 
week  and  in  some  places  they  would  get  to  much  of  old 
"tanglefoot"  in  them  as  to  get  mad  and  they  would  re- 
turn home  with  many  a  bruise  disfiguring  their  faces.    I 


EXPKRIKNCES     OF     WKSTERN     UFE.  1(>0 

do  not  want  bv  any  means  to  leave  the  impression  that 
all  the  people  livinjjf  alon«i^  the  coast  were  in  the  habit  of 
drinking  and  ji;aniblin«;f,  for  there  were  those  who  did 
not  drink  at  all  and  then  there  were  families  who  feared 
God  and  walked  upri<(htly  in  the  midst  of  their  evil  sur- 
roundings and  these  were  the  ones  who  helped  the 
country  and  built  it  up  in  morals.  But  under  such  in- 
Huences  it  required  the  courage  of  a  grizzly  bear  and 
plenty  of  divine  grace  to  stand  up  and  say,  "1  am  f(u- 
God  and  the  good  of  my  country."  Even  some  ministers 
who  had  gone  among  the  n  gave  way  in  an  evil  hour  and 
drifted  with  the  multitude,  and  at  least  one  tilled  a 
drunkard's  grave.  Now  things  have  changed  to  a  certain 
extent  and  there  is  not  as  much  drinking  and  gaud)ling 
as  formerly  an<l  the  people  will  compare  favorably  in 
morals  with  some  older  settled  jiortions  of  our  state,  it 
is  true  there  are  not  as  many  men  there  as  formerly  but 
tliose  wlio  are  still  there  are  inclined  to  that  which  is 
light,  with  a  much  firmer  grip  than  they  were  a  nuni- 
l)er  of  years  ago. 

I  remend)er  that  not  a  great  while  after  1  njoved  there 
I  was  going  into  town  one  day  from  my  study  and  had 
to  pass  a  saloon.  In  front  of  that  saloon  a  number  of 
men  were  standing  who  had  been  drinking.  Just  as  1 
got  opposite  to  them  one  of  them  said,  "Boys,  here  is 
the  Parson,  lets  make  him  drink." 

1  looked  up  at  him  and  said,  "Sir,  you  will  have  a 
sorrj'  old  time  before  you  get  through  with  that  job." 

"Boys,  I  tell  you  we  had  Ijetter  let  him  alone  for 
their  is  fire  in  his  eyes,"  said  the  speaker. 

With  one  single  exception  I    was    treated    kindly    by 


170  EXPERIENCES     OF     WESTERN     LIFE. 


those  who  sold  and  those  who  drank.  There  was  once 
that  two  men  gambled  a  day  and  two  ni<^hts  and  the 
second  morning  they  got  mad  and  one  of  them  shot  the 
other,  it  was  thought  at  the  time  fatally,  as  the  ball  en- 
tered his  body  and  could  not  be  found.  After  lingering 
a  long  time  and  hovering  bet\N  een  life  and  death  he  com- 
menced to  improve  and  finally  seeaied  to  be  quite  well. 
The  bartender,  who  waited  on  them  with  liquor  and 
watched  their  gamblin;^  and  saw  the  shooting,  gave  me 
all  the  ^particulars  and  1  wrote  them  down  and  sent  them 
to  a  Petaluma  paper  and  they  were  pubhshed  and  given 
to  the  world.  About  six  months  after  this  the  one  who 
did  the  shooting  was  in  Petaluma  and  one  of  his  friends 
said  to  him,  "Who  is  writing  you  up  at  the  Point." 

He  said,  "No  one  that  1  knew  of." 

The  article  was  given  to  him  to  read  and  when  he  re- 
turned home  he  made  efforts  to  find  out  the  author  of  it. 
He  had  accused  several  men,  but  all  denied  having 
written  it.  One  evening  just  before  sundown  1  went  to 
the  saddle  shop  on  an  errand.  I  had  not  been  there 
very  long  when  the  one  who  did  the  shooting  came  in 
and  I  saw  at  a  glance  that  he  was  drinking.  He  came 
where  1  was  exclaiming,  "Did  you  write  it,  did  you 
write  it." 

I  told  him  I  did  not  understand  what  he  meant. 

"I  mean,  sir,  that  article  in  a  Petaluma  paper  about 
me  shooting  a  certain  man," 

"Yes,  sir,"  said  1,  "I  beheve  1  wrote  an  article  of  that 
kind." 

I  had  no  thought  of  being  struck  by  him,  when  all  of 
a  sudden  he  opened  his  hand  and  slapped  me  on  the  side 


EXPEKIFa<CB8     OF     WESTERN     LIFE  171 


of  my  face.  The  tirst  thou^rht  thut  entered  my  mind  was 
what  would  the  Savior  do  under  such  circumstances,  and 
1  said  to  myself,  "He  would  not  strike  back  and  1  will 
not  either."  At  that  the  saddler  bounded  to  his  feet  and 
SHid,  **1  do  not  allow  any  man  to  strike  a  minister  in  m>' 
shoi).' 

The  lick  he  gave  me  only  stunned  me  a  little  and  made 
my  head  ache.  When  the  saddler  snid  what  he  did  1 
told  him  to  hold  on  and  1  would  manage  hini,  that  all 
such  men  were  cowards  and  1  was  not  in  the  least 
alarmed.  When  1  accused  him  of  being  a  coward  he 
commenced  to  feel  for  liis  pistol  and  1  knew  he  always 
went  armed.  1  said  to  him  "Take  your  hand  off  from 
that  pistol  or  you  will  get  hurt  l^adly." 

There  was  a  large  saddler's  liainnu  r  close  to  me  and 
had  he  attempted  my  life  with  liis  pistol  1  should  have 
used  it  on  him.  When  1  told  him  to  take  his  hand  oft' 
he  did  as  1  told  him  and  1  was  glad  of  it  for  1  had  no 
desire  to  do  him  lx)dily  harm.  1  then  commenced  and 
told  hi  ill  that  he  hud  with  his  saloon  business  and 
gambling  ruined  more  young  men  along  this  coast  than 
any  other  man  who  t-ver  lived  on  it  and  that  unless  he 
changed  his  ways  he  was  sure  of  a  drunkard's  hell  and 
a  drunkard's  grave.  Then  again  he  began  to  feel  for  his 
))istol  and  1  repeated  my  request  that  he  take  his  hand 
off"  from  it  or  he  would  be  hurt  badly  and  that  very 
<|iii(  k  He  took  his  hand  away  the  second  time  and  1 
then  told  him,  "You  have  been  called  the  king  along 
the  coast  and  the  bully  just  because  you  went  armed  and 
men  knew  it  and  they  dreaded  any  trouble  with  you  for 
fear  they  would  he  shot  and  killed  or  crippled  for   life, 


Pat  delivering  the  potatoes.— see  page  154. 


EXPERIENCES     OF     WESTERN     LIFE.  173 


but  you  have  found  one  man,  sir,  who  does  not  dread 
your  presence  nor  care  for  the  arms  jou  at  times  have 
with  you." 

At  this  onset  he  commenced  to  feel  for  his  pistol  again 
and  1  said,  "take  your  hand  off,  and  now  understand  1 
am  not  going  to  make  another  ret^uest  of  tlie  kind  and  if 
you  put  that  hand  for  the  pistol  again  you  will  have  to 
run  the  risk  of  what  follows. 

1  then  told  him,  "your  wife  and  daughters  1  respect 
and  will  do  any  good  1  can  for  either  you  or  your  family. 
That  1  always  pitied  a  man  who  got  into  the  habit  of 
drinking  until  he  had  no  courage  to  quit.  That  the  only 
•thing  or  power  in  the  universe  which  could  save  him 
was  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ;  his  grace  and  his  alone  could 
conquer  and  make  a  better  man  out  of  him." 

At  that  time  1  saw  his  chin  begin  to  quiver  and  the 
tears  to  start  and  he  held  out  his  hand,  saying,  "Shan  t 
we  be  good  friends  from  this  on." 

Said  I,  "Sir,  I  court  no  man's  friendship,  but  if  I  can 
have  it  on  high  and  honorable  terms  1  am  willing  to  ac- 
cept of  it,  but  not  otherwise." 

Said  he,  "I  promise  I  will  never  do  you  any  harm  as 
long  as  1  live;  you  will  be  my  friend." 

"Yes,"!  told  him  "1  will." 

When  I  returned  home  my  wife  asked  what  kept  me 
so  late.  I  told  her  what  had  transpired  and  for  the  first 
and  last  time  in  her  life  she  said,  "Oh,  let  us  move  away 
from  such  an  ungodly  place." 

"No,"  said  I,  "not  as  long  as  1  have  strength  to  work. 
I  am  going  to  stand  in  the  strength  of  the  Lord  and  fight 
the  devil  in  his  own  den." 


174  EXPERii'.Nc:;s    of    western    life. 

It  produced  quite  an  excitement  in  town  and  one  of 
my  friends  said  he  would  have  given  the  Parson  twenty 
dollar  if  he  had  just  let  in  and  have  given  him  a  good 
thrashing.  Then  he  studied  a  moment  and  said,  ''No, 
he  did  the  best  deed  of  his  life  not  to  touch  him." 

This  man,  although  he  was  one  of  the  main  property 
owners  of  the  town,  did  not  live  there  long  after  that, 
for  the  men  were  all  the  time  picking  at^him  and  saying, 
"well,  you  found  one  man,  if  he  was  a  preacher,  who 
was  not  afraid  of  you  and  I  tell  you  you  had  better  be  on 
the  lookout  for  him.'* 

He  njoved  up  the  coast  some  distance  and  afterwards 
in  company  with  a  friend  I  went  up  there  on  a  mission- 
ary tour.  While  there  1  learned  he  was  very  sick  at  the 
hotel  and  that  his  recovery  was  very  doubtful.  I  went 
over  to  see  him,  and,  really,  1  do  not  know  whether  he 
was  glad  to  see  me  or  not  1  found  him  confined  to  his 
bed  and  when  I  took  a  seat  and  commenced  to  talk  with 
him  he  was  not  so  sick  but  what  he  knew  enough  to  put 
his  arm  between  his  eyes  and  my  face  and  then  either 
peep  over  or  under  his  arm  at  me.  Poor  fellow.  I  have 
often  thought  of  what  men  used  to  say  about  him,  "That 
he  would  die  yet  with  his  boots  on."  He  was  thrown 
from  his  buggy  and  killed. 

There  was  in  Point  Arena  a  house  of  bad  repute  and 
the  inmate  was  taken  very  sick  and  her  doctor  thought 
she  was  sure  to  die  and  he  left  her  and  went  into  the 
mountains.  She  became  greatly  alarmed  and  sent  for 
another  doctor  who  was  a  good  christian  man  and  he 
frankly  told  her  he  had  but  little  hopes  for  her  recovery 
and  that  if  she  wanted  to  talk  with  a   minister    she    had 


EXPERIENCES     OF     WESTERN     LIFE.  176 


better  send  for  one  soon.  "Oh,"  she  said,  "they  would 
not  come  here  knowing  the  life  I  have  led." 

The  doctor  said,  "Yes,  my  Pastor  and  his  wife  will 
both  come,  I  have  no  doubt  of  it." 

She  sent  for  us  and  we  went  and  she  said,  "As  a 
minister  1  was  afraid  you  would  not  come." 

I  told  her  1  regarded  it  the  duty  of  a  minister  to  go 
wherever  he  could  do  good  and  save  the  people. 

She  then  said,  '*!  want  you  to  read  some  scripture  and 
pray  with  me." 

**What  will  you  have  read,"  1  inquired,  "about  the 
woman  whom  Christ  did  not  condemn  and  asked  her 
where  her  accusers  were"  she  replied. 

1  read  that  and  other  portions  of  the  scripture  that  1 
thought  would  suit  her  case  such  as  "Come  unto  me 
all  ye  that  labor,  are  heavy  laden  and  1  will  give  you 
rest."  Finally  1  said,  "Are  you  willing,  here  and  now, 
to  say  1  will  quit  my  evil  ways  and  trust  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  for  the  salvation  of  my  soul  and  live  for  his  glory 
while  1  live." 

With  the  very  deepest  emotion  of  soul,  she  said,  "Yes, 
1  will,"  and  her  countenance  indicated  a  great  change 
and  1  bowed  with  her  in  prayer  and  from  that  time  on 
she  began  to  mand  and  when  the  other  doctor  returned 
he  went  to  see  her  and  she  told  him,  "Dr.  B.  is  going  to 
care  for  my  body  and  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  has  saved 
my  soul  and  I  shall  have  no  further  need  of  you." 

She  recovered  and  married  not  long  after  her  recovery 
and,  as  far  as  I  ever  heard,  kept  her  promise.  She  told 
me  she  was  raised  in  the  midst  of  plenty  and  never  had 
to  work  for  a  living.     After  her  marriage  she  went  with 


17()  EXPERIENCES     OF     WESTERN     LIFE. 

her  husband  to  Colorado  and  there  he  deserted  her  and 
she  was  left  without  a  dollar  in  the  world.  She  had 
married  contrary  to  her  parents'  wishes  and  was  both 
ashamed  and  afraid  to  aj^k  for  help  when  her  husband 
left  her.  No  doubt  her  parents  would  have  given  her  a 
helping  hand  had  she  asked  for  it,  for  they  were  mem- 
bers of  the  Episcopal  church,  and,  she  said,  good  christ- 
ian people.  But  shame  and  confusion  of  fuce  was  her 
lot  and  rather  than  say,  ''I  have  done  wrong  and  ask 
your  forgiveness,"  she  decided  on  a  life  very  different, 
but  was  finally  arrested  in  her  downward  career,  and, 
let  us  hope,  repented  of  it  all. 

I  remained  at  and  near  Point  Arena  nine  years  and 
eight  months,  and  while  there  1  married  sixty  couple, 
baptised  eighty-four,  buried  nine-three  persons,  received 
into  the  communion  of  the  church,  fifty-seven  members. 
After  preaching  there  so  long  it  affected  my  throat  and 
eyes  until  1  was  compelled  to  cease  my  life's  work  and 
rest,  at  least  for  awhile.  I  was  placed  by  act  of  presby- 
tery on  the  Honorably  Retired  List  and  since  1889  have 
not  asked  for  a  church  to  preach  to  for  1  have  not  be^n 
able.  1  have  preached  occasionally  in  some  destitute 
places  near  home. 

While  1  lived  at  Point  Arena  I  went  once  to  attend  a 
meeting  of  presbyter}'  at  Vallejo  and  when  1  arrived  in 
San  Francisco  1  found  that  Rev.  Mr.  Hammond  was 
holding  a  series  of  meetings  there  and  as  I  had  some 
time  to  spend  before  the  presbyterj-  met,  and  had  never 
heard  him,  concluded  to  attend.  It  so  happened  that  he 
was  absent  at  the  time  and  I  did  not  get  to  hear  him 
until  the  next  evening  at  Vallejo.     However,   there  was 


EXPERIENCES     OF     WESTERN      LIFE.  177 

a  very  ;40od  seriuon  preached  in  keeping  with  revival  ef- 
forts. After  the  conclusion  of  the  sermon  there  was  a 
general  inquiry  meeting  held  in  which  a  number  of 
ministers  and  members  engaged.  I  think  the  inquiry 
meeting  resulted  in  a  great  deal  of  good.  It  was  con- 
ducted by  those  who  knew  what  they  were  doing  and  as 
they  went  from  one  to  another  the  interest  seemed  to  in- 
crease. Finally  otie  of  the  ministers  who  was  at  work,  a 
Rev.  Mr..  Tables,  came  where  1  was  seated  and  asked, 
"are  you  a  christian?" 

J  told  him  I  sometimes  thought  when  1  heard  others 
talk  that  I  might  be  and  then  again  when  I  heard  some 
others  talk  was  not  so  sure  about  it.  1  told  him  I  had  a 
great  desire  to  be  religious  and  serve  God. 

**You  ought,  sir,  to  have  more  than  a  passing  desire 
to  that  effect,  it  ought  to  burn  down  into  your  soul  with 
such  power  that  you  would  know  for  yourself  and  not 
another  that  you  have  passed  from  death  unto  life.  There 
onght  to  be  such  earnestness  that  you  would  cry  out, 
'God  be  merciful  tome  a  sinner.'  'Lord  save  or  f  perish.'" 

*'Ye8,"  1  asked,  *'is  there  not  danger  of  becoming 
unduly  excited  and  by  that  means  make  a  mistake  and 
that  mistake  result  in  veiy  serious  conse(juences." 

"There  is  no  danger,  as  a  general  thing,  of  one  of 
mature  years  being  mistaken.  There  is,"  said  he,  "no 
necessity  for  one  to  make  a  great  noise  al)out  religion, 
for  deep  water  always  runs  silent  while  the  shallow 
makes  a  great  noise.  My  friend,"  continued  he,  "it  be- 
comes you  to  be  deeply  in  earnest  about  this  matter  and 
not  postpone  it  any  longer  or  you  may  lose  your  soul 
and  be  eternally  lost." 


178  EXPERIENCES     OF     WESTERN     LIFE. 


"I  want  then  to  know,  sir,  in  a  very  plain,  simple 
manner,  how  1  am  to  ba  saved,  for  is  there  not  a  very 
great  mystery  connected  with  the  thought  of  a  sinful 
being  approaching  infiinte  purity  and  begging  for  par- 
don. Will  not  such  a  being  spurn  one  from  his  pres- 
ence and  send  me  to  the  world  of  woe  ?  ' 

"  No,  God  tells  us,  '  He  that  cometh  to  me  1  will  in 
no  wise  cast  out  ; '  'The  prodigal  son  returned  to  his 
father's  house  although  clad  in  rags.'  " 

**  Even  if  he  should  receive  me,  I  would  like  to  kuow 
how  to  come  to  him.  Had  I  not  better  wait  until  I  make 
myself  more  uneasy  about  ray  present  condition  or  then 
wait  f6r  a. convenient  season?  " 

••  You  will  never  find  a  better  time  than  now — and 
3'ou  are  sufficiently  uneasy  about  your  condition.  You 
can  come  to  him  now  without  a  moment's  delay.  Now 
is  the  accepted  time,  behold,  now  is  the  day  of  salvation. 
Now  God's  people  are  ready  to  pray  for  you  and  assist 
you  in  coming  to  Christ.  Jesus  even  now  stands  with 
out-stretched  arms  ready  to  receive  you.  This  name  is 
worthy  with  the  Father  and  for  His  sake  he  will  have 
mercy  on  you  and  save  you." 

"Yes,  but  after  I  have  believed,  how  am  I  to  know 
I  am  saved,  for  I  do  not  want  any  mistakes  about  it." 

"In  the  first  place,  He  said  the  Holy  Spirit  will  bear 
witness  with  your  Spirit  that  you  are  a  child  of  God  and 
have  passed  from  death  unto  life." 

'*  Then  if  you  have  passed  from  death  unto  life  you 
will  love  all  who  bear  the  image  of  the  Saviour." 

"You  can  also  tell  by  the  desires  you  have.  If  any 
are  made  Christians  and  bear  Christ's  image  they  have  a 


EXPERIENCES     OF     WKSTEUN      UFE.  17t) 

great  desire  that  others  be  saved  and  enjoy  the  religion 
of  Christ  with  them.  The  r<  ^t  lurated  soul  longs  to  see 
(lod's  j^lory  among  men.' 

One  other  question,  "Am  1  to  expect  that  1  can  live 
right  at  all  time  and  have  so  much  help  frouj  the  Holy 
iipirit  that  1  will  not  sin  against  Him  if  1  become  a  child 
of  God.  ' 

**The  Scriptures  tell  us,  '  No  man  liveth  and  sinneth 
not,'  but  if  any  man  sin  we  have  an  advocate  with  the 
Father,  even  Jesus  Christ,  the  righteous." 

'•  There  is  one  point  more  1  would  like  to  understand. 
Is  there  any  more  safety  for  the  soul  after  it  is  really 
saved  than  before  ?  When  1  invest  money  1  want  to 
know  that  it  is  safe,  and  certainly  i  would  want  to  know 
whether  1  will  be  any  more  secure  after  than  before  in 
religious  matters  ?  " 

*'  Yes,"  he  said,  *'  ItisCJod  s  work  and  His  alone  when 
a  soul  is  saved  and  He  declares,  'their  sins  and  iniquities 
will  1  remember  no  more;'  which  hope  we  have  as  an 
anchor  of  the  soul,  l>oth  sure  and  steadfast.  '  My  Grace 
shall  be  sufficient  for  thee.'  " 

**  You  seem  to  have  some  knowledge  of  the  Scrip- 
tares." 

*'  I  was  reared  in  a  pious  family,  where  the  Bible  was 
read  at  family  worship  " 

"You  seem  to  understand  something,  too,  of  the  plan 
of  salvation." 

"  Yes,  I  have  been  in  the  habit  of  attending  church 
and  hearing  that  plan  explained  more  or  less." 

*•  Mow,  allow  me  to  ask  you  your  name  V  " 

"It  does    not  matter   so  much    about  my  name  as  it 


180  EXPERIENCES     OF     WESTERN     LIFE. 


does  about  being  a  child  of  God,  and  trying  to  get  to 
heaven." 

*'  Yes,  but  please  tell  me  your  name." 

He  begged  so  hard  that  1  finally  told  him. 

*  What  !"  while  astonishment  covered  his  face,  "not 
C.  H.  Crawrord,  a  Presbyterian  minister." 

"  Yes.  sir,  the  same  man." 

*'  Well,  I  have  nothing  more  to  say  to  you  at  present, 
only  this,  I  have  been  in  the  state  a  number  of  years 
and  ever  since  1  have  been  here  1  have  heard  of  you  as 
one  of  the  pioneers  who  has  led  many  souls  to  Christ '' 

CHAPTER    XXIX. 

During  a  missionary  tour,  once,  I  learned  where  an 
old  Illinois  friend  lived,  and  as  I  had  not  seen  him  for 
many  years,  I  concluded  to  call  on  him.  W'hen  1 
arrived  at  his  house  and  was  cordially  greeted  by  him 
and  his  family,  he  asked  me,  "will  you  preach  at  our 
school  house  to-night,  if  I  circulate  an  appointment  ?  " 

I  told  him  I  would — that  preaching  was  all  I  pre- 
tended to  follow, 

'*  You  will  have  some  to  preach  too,  to  night,  who  de- 
clare themselves  infidels." 

At  the  hour  appointed  there  was  a  goodly  number  as- 
sembled for  a  small  community.  The  subject  for  the 
evening  was  showing  the  advantages  which  Christianit}' 
had  over  all  the  systems  of  infidelity.  When  1  closed 
the  discourse  I  asked  all  who  believed  that  Christianity 
had  advantage  over  infidelity,  to  rise  to  their  feet.  The 
entire  congregation    rose,  except   two  young    men.     1 


EXPERIENCES     OF     WESTERN     LIFE.  181 


then  called  on  any  present  who  believed  that  any  system 
of  infidelity  was  better  than  Christianity  to  manifest  it 
by  rising  to  their  feet.  All  remained  seated  and  as  silent 
as  the  grave. 

After  the  con<(regation  was  dismissed,  one  of  the 
young  men,  who  did  not  vote  for  Christianity,  came 
shaking  his  fist  under  my  nose,  and  sa^'in^,  "you,  sir, 
are  not  a  gentleman." 

*'  When  you  say  that  you  make  a  very  serious  accusa- 
tion against  a  minister  of  gospel — for  of  all  men  he 
ought  certainly  to  be  a  gentleman  as  well  as  a  true 
Christian.  What,  sir,  is  the  matter  with  you?  I  do  not 
understand  why  you  make  such  a  charge  as  that." 

•*  You  had  no  business  to  take  such  a  vote  as  you  did." 

"Oh,  that  is  the  trouble  is  it,  you  are  an  infidel,  and 
ashamed  to  own  it,  and  ashamed  to  vote  for  it  in  public. 
If  you  are  ashamed  of  your  principles  you  had  better  get 
awav  from  them,  for  fear  they  will  be  your  ruin." 

"You  are  a  stranger  to  me,"  said  he,  "  but  1  must 
advise  you  to  never  take  such  a  vote  as  that  again,  while 
you  live  for  fear  you  might  get  a  tremendous  thrashing." 

**  1  am  not  in  the  least  afraid  of  that  for  that  is  bus- 
iness two  can  take  a  hand  in.  When  I  know  1  am  in 
the  right  it  always  make  me  brave,  so  that  i  do  not  fear 
the  face  of  man.  But,  now,  my  friend,  seriously,  would 
you  not  rather  trust  ^  hristianity  for  safety,  than  any 
system  of  infidelity  ?  " 

His  reply  was,  "  I  would  not."  A  reply  he  would  not 
have  made  had  he  not  been  mad.  At  that  we  parted, 
and  1  have  never  met  him  since  that  night.  The  friend 
whom  I  went  to  see  was  well  acquainted    with  him  and 


182  EXPERIENCES     OF     WESTERN     LIFE. 


he  told  me  that  not  long  after  this  he  made  profession  of 
religion  and  had  sent  word  to  me  through  him,  "that 
he  would  give  me  $10  for  every  sermon  1  would  come 
and  preach  tu  him." 

I  have  found  in  my  experience  that  it  is  sometimes  an 
excellent  plan  to  make  some  men  mad  and  then  when 
the  passion  wears  off,  they  will  see  in  their  calm 
moments  how  foolish  they  have  been  and  turn  to  the 
only  true  source  of  help.  This  man  was  not  the  first 
one  by  any  means  whom  I  have  seen  leave  meetings 
mad  and  the  result  was  they  returned  in  deep  penitence 
and  sought  forgiveness  of  the  One  who  alone  can  forgive 
sins. 

I  made  another  missionary  trip,  this  time  into  the  Sierra 
Nevada  mountains  of  whicli  1  will  speak.  About  sun- 
down I  found  a  village  with  a  few  hundred  inhabitants  in 
it — and  the  first  one  in  all  my  western  travels  without  a 
hotel.  How  this  happened  lean  not  tell,  for  somebody 
is  almost  sure  to  keep  a  public  house  even  if  it  is  a  poor 
one.  But  let  the  house  l)e  ever  so  poor,  the  price  is 
always  good,  (that  is  good  for  the  keeper's  pocket.)  I 
drove  up  to  a  store  and  inquired  for  a  stopping  place. 
The  gentleman  said,  "their  is  none  in  town,  but  1  can 
take  care  of  your  horse,  and  there  is  a  boarding  and 
lodging  house  kept  not  far  away  and  there  you  can 
get  something  to  eat,  but  you  will  have  to  sleep  on  the 
floor  and  wrap  3^ourself  in  the  blankets,  they  will  fur- 
nish as  the  best  that  can  be  done." 

After  the  horse  was  cared  for  1  went  into  the  store 
and  to  my  astonishment,  found  the  owner  was  selling 
"tangle-foot"  as  well  as  dry  goods  and  groceries.  Dur- 
on r  conversation  1  asked  him  if  they  ever  had  any 
preaching  in  the  town.  He  told  me  he  had  lived  there 
a  good  many  years,  in  fact  was  one  of  the  first  to  settle 
there  and  to  his  certain  knowledge  there  had  been  only 
three  sermons  preached  in  the  place.  "Do  3^ou  preach?  " 
he  asked. 


EXPEHIKNCE8     OF     WESTERN     LIFE  183 

"Yes,  sir,  that  is  my  business." 

**VVill  you  preach  tonight  if  1  get  you  a  congre- 
gation? " 

I  told  him  I  would.  I  went  to  the  boarding  house  for 
my  meal  and  he  started  out  notifying  the  people.  They 
had  a  very  large  school  house  and  at  the  appointed 
hour  it  was  full  and  all  the  windows  had  lockers  on.  I 
never  preached  to  a  more  attentive  audience  anywhere. 
I  found  something  to  eat  and  slept  on  the  hard  floor  and 
the  next  morning  the  merchant  who  kept  my  horse  tohl 
me  that  "at  home  in  the  state  of  Maine  he  always  went 
with  his  mother  and  sister  to  church  twice  on  Sunday 
and  to  Sabbath  school  and  they  had  no  idea  how  bad  he 
was  out  here,  and  for  the  world  he  did  not  want  them  to 
know  he  was  selling  whiskey.' 

He  furni8he<l  all  the  lights  for  the  school  house  and 
paid  all  my  bills,  with  a  promise  given  of  reformation 
but  whether  this  took  place  1  cannot  tell. 


CHAPTER  XXX. 

When  i  was  living  and  preaching  at  Point  Arena  in 
Mendocino  cotinty,  California,  there  was  one  time  when 
at  the  close  of  the  conference  year  the  Methodists  found 
they  were  behind  with  what  they  had  promised  to  give 
their  minister  and  that  it  was  necessary  to  do  something 
so  as  to  meet  their  obligations.  The  matter  was  talked 
over  among  themselves  and  the  decision  was  to  hold  a 
church  social  with  ice  cream  and  cake  as  an  "accompani- 
ment" as  musicians  say.  A  wi.se  man  always  provides 
for  the  wants  of  both  soul  and  lx>dy  and  these  church 
socials  properly  conducted  do  the  same  thing.  The 
basement  of  the  church  being  quite  large  it  proved  a 
good  room  for  these  socials,  for  as  a  rule  there  are  more 
who  will  attend  a  social  than  a  preaching  appointment. 
The  first  of  the  week  i  saw  Mr.  Adams,  the  pastor  of  the 


184  EXPERIENCES     OF     WESTERN     LIFP:. 


church,  and  he  gave  me  a  very  coi'di.il  and  pressing  in- 
vitation to  be  present,  remar';ing  at  the  same  time,  "you 
have  a  s^ood  deal  of  mischief  and  fun  about  you;  I  wish 
you  would  open  the  exercises  Thursday  night  with  some 
of  it." 

At  the  appointed  time  1  went  and  found  the  room  filled 
with  an  anxious,  good-natured  company.  In  arranging 
the  room  they  had  placed  a  stand  with  some  nice  bou- 
quets on  it  and  I  was  to  stand  behind  it  to  make  my  re- 
marks. At  the  appointed  time  Mr.  A.  motioned  to  me 
and  we  took  our  places,  when  he  said  to  them,  "Mr.  C. 
has  been  here  so  long  he  does  not  need  any  formal  in- 
troduction for  they  all  knew  me  and  he  hoped  1  would 
begin  right  away  as  the  peo|)le  were  especially  anxious, 
he  knew,  about  the  eating  part  of  the  social." 

When  1  begun  I  told  thenj  this  was  a  strange  world 
of  strange  things  in  which  we  lived.  Pointing  to  the 
beautiful  flowers  before  me  1  said,  "look  at  those  bou- 
quets, they  are  of  all  colors  and  3'et  they  have  the  same 
soil  in  which  to  grow,  the  same  air  and  the  same  sun- 
shine, yet,  strange  to  say,  they  are  not  all  one  color  nor 
vet  are  they  the  same  size.  When  we  go  forth  to  life's 
duties  and  walk  or  drive  al  ng  the  public  highway  we 
lind  at  almost  every  step  strange  things.  Look  at  the 
trees  of  the  forest,  how  strange  they  are,  Some  tower  up 
towards  the  heavens  while  others  are  low  and  scrubby. 
Some  are  very  small  while  others  are  of  immense  size 
and  yet  with  all  this  no  two  leaves  of  the  forest  are  pre- 
cisely alike.  Strange  they  were  not  all  made  alike  in 
their  trunks  and  their  leaves.  Then  there  are  the  stars 
that  are  such  strange  things,  some  of  them  are  large  and 
others  small,  some  shine  a  great  deal  more  brilliantly 
than  others.  'Twinkle,  twinkle  little  star,  how  I  won- 
der what  you  are,  up  above  the  world  so  high  like  a  dia- 
mond in  the  sky.'  These  brilliant  orbs  are  all  strange 
things  to  us.  Then  there  is  the  sun,  one  of  the  most 
wonderful  of  strange  objects  on  which  our  visions  light. 


EXPERIENCES     OF     WESTERN     LIFE.  1 N") 

It  has  been  givinj^  off  I  oth  li«»ht  and  heut  for  thousands 
of  years  past  and  still  seems  to  have  an  inexhaustible 
Slippy  left.  It  is  a  strange  ol  ject,  set  in  the  heavens  bv 
Omnipotent  power. 

After  speaking  of  all  these  strange  thifigs  in  nature  I 
then  said,  with  as  much  en)i)hasis  as  1  was  master  of, 
"But  of  all  the  strange  things  in  this  world  of  strange 
things,  the  strangest  thing  is  when  a  Methodist  nnnister 
(•alls  on  a  Presbyterian  minister  to  do  some  solid  beg- 
ging for  him,  when  it  is  known  in  all  communities 
where  they  work  side  by  side  that  the  Methodist  can  ont- 
beg  the  Presbyterians  two  to  one.' 

At  this  unexjMicted  sally  they  stamped  their  feet  and 
clapi>ed  their  hands  at  a  very  lively  rate  and  when  they 
saw  it  made  Mr.  Adams  blush  they  renewed  it  time  and 
again.  When  I  finished  my  remarks  J  took  a  seat  by 
the  side  of  Mr.  A.  and  he  shook  his  tist  at  me  very  good- 
naturedly  and  said,  loud  enough  for  all  to  hear,  "1  will 
pay  you  for  that  my  goo«l  brotlier  *'  At  this  they  renewed 
their  cheering. 

The  evening  was  a  real  social  oiu'  and  everylx)dy 
seemed  to  enjov  themselves.  Mr.  A.  told  me  a  few  days 
after  this  that  his  social  was  a  decided  success  and  that 
what  1  said  was  the  means  of  his  getting  at  least  twenty- 
five  dollars  which  he  would  not  have  had  had  1  not  made 
that  speech.  I  told  him  1  was  glad  of  it  for  1  loved  to 
he  useful  outside  of  my  own  chunrh  and  home. 

It  is  very  often  the  case  that  small  country  churches 
have  a  very  hard  struj^'gle  to  keej)  out  of  debt  and  keep 
their  finances  well  in  liand.  A  church  debt  is  to  be 
dreaded  a  great  deal  more  than  private  debts.  In  priv- 
ate debts  as  a  rule  there  is  but  one  person  to  worry  about 
it  but  in  church  debts  every  true  member  feels  that  they 
are  responsible  for  a  just  proportion  of  what  is  due. 
But  of  all  connected  with  the  church  1  think  the  pastor 
feels  the  burden  of  a  debt  more  than  any  one  else.  I  re- 
member  when    we  purchased  one-half  of  the  Masonic 


186  EXPERI.INCHS     OF     WESTEKN     LIFE. 

building  at  Point  Arena  for  a  church  that  we  became 
involved  and  it  took  quite  an  effort  to  pay  it  off.  i^'inally 
the  work  was  accomplished  and  1  told  them  from  the 
pulpit  one  Sunday  that  our  debt  was  all  paid  and  the 
church  so  far  as  finances  were  concerned  was  free.  A 
very  shrewd,  intelligent  njan  of  the  word,  who  had  made 
an  excellent  success  of  his  own  business  affairs,  said  to 
me  the  next  day,  'you  have  but  little  idea  how  much 
power  their  was  in  those  few  wordt  you  spoke  yesterday 
about  the  church  being  free  from  debt,  for  church  debts 
keep  people  from  joining  and  becoming  identified  with 
the  chu  1  ch's  interest.  You  may  expect  your  church  to 
prosper  from  this  on.' 

If  this  was  the  prophecy  of  a  man  of  the  world  it  has 
came  as  true  as  Balaam's  prophecy  did,  fur  from  a  mere 
handful  of  members  then  it  has  grown  to  number  at  the 
present  time  1G5  The  prospects  are  still  good  for  a 
future  growth  and  greater  usefullness.  1  certainly  will 
ever  retain  a  kindly  rememberanceof  the  people  living 
along  the  coast  from  Gualala  to  Bridgeport,  for  many 
years  1  shared  their  hospitality  and  have  been  with 
numbers  of  them  in  their  times  of  sorrow ,  when  their 
dead  were  laid  gently  away  to  await  the  sound  of  the 
'  trump  of  God  at  the  last  day. 

1  love  the  state  in  which  1  live  and  for  the  last  forty 
years  have  tried  to  advance  its  best  interests  by  opposing 
the  evil  and  advocating  the  good  and  I  want  still  to  see 
it  rising  as  a  mighty  giant  along  the  borders  of  the  great 
Pacific  and  standing  as  the  beacon  light  amid  the  cluster 
of  states  which  bedecks  our  western  horizon.  If  any- 
thing 1  have  said  in  this  book  shall  help  in  these  matters 
1  shall  be  satisfied. 


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9 


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^fBRAHY  USE 

^  29  m? 

REC'D  LD 

^pDE6  29  1957 


u> 


LD  21-50m-l.'33 


YC   I544C 


